Kill Your Darlings
by AGirlsGottaEat
Summary: Before the experiments, before the asylum, before he was caught. — • • Eddie Gluskin/OC
1. Chapter One

_**Synopsis: **__Before the experiments, before the asylum, before he was caught._

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter One**

**X**

"_Sometimes you must destroy what you like, to get what you love."_

He waited on her street corner again.

Hidden by the unkempt evergreen that protruded from her neighbours' wooden fencing that had started to rot and fall apart against the strong wind. She was always on time for work, appointments or small get-togethers with her interfering and boisterous friends. She always had an unbreakable routine and back-up plan whenever she left her apartment, and Eddie, especially, would be the one to know. He had been watching her for weeks now, actually, it had almost been two months, yet he still hadn't been able to come up with a casual conversation or chat-up line whenever he had the chance. For hours he agonized over what he wanted to say to her, trying hard to come up with a common topic they would both enjoy, but he soon retreated once he was close enough and scolded himself afterwards.

_Eddie, you idiot, doofus! Stupid! Just talk to her. Be a man. _

It was the type of weather that could cause someone to pass out due to the intense heat that had been forecast for the next month. He checked his wristwatch. Like clockwork the front door to the apartment complex opened with the ring of an automatic bell, and out she stepped, dressed in her black uniform, hair flowing down her back like the wild waves of the ocean. Her heels clinked lightly against the concrete, swiftly walking down the street towards Eddie, fresh-faced and carefree as she typed in a number into her mobile and placed it to her left ear. The closer she got, the more Eddie felt that spring of excitement go through his spine, making him shake and brush a hand through his thick black hair nervously. Stepping back, he pushed his back into the evergreen branches, hiding himself from her sight as she passed unknowing of his existence.

Once she had crossed the road Eddie flicked off the fallen wooden flakes from his black coat, and stood rooted to the spot, staring after her. There was faint smell of perfume in the air, and he knew it belong to _her_. He fondly remembered the time she had forgotten an old, worn scarf at the café she worked at, and Eddie wasted no time on making it his. A small token he kept, to remind him of her existence that Eddie cherished so, so much. That too also smelled of her, the hazy smell of the sunflower perfume she wore. She was different. So different from the rest of them. Just thinking about her made his mind wonder of the possibilities, how they would fall hopelessly in love with each other, get married, have children, grow old together. A fantasy, yes, but it was something he wanted to become true.

After a few moments of smiling at his own thoughts, he too walked down the street, his long legs carrying him quickly over the road and through the district.

**X**

From the kitchen of the café the faint sound of a radio could be heard, a local broadcast discussing and debating the topics of the upcoming and previous week, a session that would have an interlude occupied with the callers choice of music. There was the rich and savory smell of coffee that had overpowered the small, snug café that looked to be incapable of acquiring any more tables or chairs. He sat in the corner of the café, alone, holding a cup of coffee between his large hands, occasionally glancing upwards to see his girl waiting on other people's orders and having general chitchat. Oh, how he envied them. He thought it would have been enough to just watch, but the more he saw his love talking to other men, a pang of jealously would shoot through him. Clenching his teeth, he turned his head away, contorting his mouth in a silent annoyance.

His plan of finally speaking to her soon blurred away, and he knew, to his irritation, he would walk out of that small downtown Denver café empty-handed. Again. He felt his forehead crease with a frustrated frown. He had never felt this way about anyone before. His love was quickly turning into an obsession that had enveloped him. It even hurt to know that she had no idea of his existence, his feelings, otherwise she wouldn't be talking to anyone else but him, he knew it. She would be faithful to her man; so, Eddie was willing to forgive for now. With another look, he found himself once again staring at her.

There she was, standing there, a worn apron tied around her waist, flowing over her curvaceous thighs and stopping at her knees that were lightly covered with purple bruises. Her dyed black hair was now put up into a messy ponytail, soft curly strands had fallen out of the band and hung down the back of her neck. He took in every little detail, from the freckles that formed on the bridge of her nose, to her uneven fingernails that she seemed to have bitten down but attempted to hide behind red nail polish. And her narrow face, rosy plump lips, big olive-greens eyes that lazily watched as she wrote down orders on her small notepad, and her turned up nose, they all called to him.

She was so pretty, so perfect…so _venerable._ She needed someone to take care of her, look after her, treat her like the queen she is. He knew it. Her imperfections, he wanted them all, every single one. He watched her like a hawk, studying her, watching her gentle gestures, her feisty attitude and an occasional flirty wink she would give to the odd customer. Oh, he wanted her, _needed _her, it was a feeling so strong that he felt his hands tremble with anticipation and excitement from the mere thought of touching her skin. To take away the loneliness he knew she was suffering from, to make her complete, to make her…_his_.

How many times he had watched her go through the same boring, old routine day after day. Her life consisting of darkened rooms with the TV set flickering into the early hours of the morning and daily chores that took most of her day up. No joy. No exhilaration. Her life was just one long shade of grey, from Eddie's perspective, and he wanted to put color to it. Make her whole. Make her _better. _Before taking the last gulp of his coffee, he paused and listened as his loves laugh ring through the café from the back of the kitchen, feeling the corner of his lips curl into a grin.

_Oh, such a dirty laugh. Such a dirty laugh. _

**X**

It was late, ten O'clock, and after what seemed like an eternity waiting on the wooden bench outside the small convenient shop, Eddie saw her leave the café. He stood up straight away, and like a dog with a bone, started walking towards her. It was dark, and the streetlights overhead were a dull orange that illuminated only small parts of the sidewalk and road. The intense heat had died down, though it was still muggy, causing sweat to form on Eddie's hairline. With tightened hands he lowered his head, like the many times he had before, and began following his love down the street, keeping a safe distance so that she wouldn't hear his footsteps.

He wasn't worried about losing her, as he knew where she lived and what way she took home. His heart raced, his mind felt light, like he was having an outer-body experience, watching himself and what he was about to do. His palms began to sweat the closer they both got to her apartment complex. With each step he got more twitchy and impatient. With a shaky breath, he watched as she turned a corner, her phone in her hand. A smirked crept up his face, knowing that it was a technique she used whenever she passed gangs of teenagers or lone drunken idiots who would try and make conversation. She would simply pretend she was on the phone, such a, _clever_ _cat._

Once Eddie was around the corner he could clearly see her, almost at her building, her steps becoming more eager to get back into her home. With this in mind, Eddie walked even faster, effortlessly catching up to her. He was thankful that he had parked his car in front of her building, he didn't know how his beloved would react to his confession, but he knew what was best for her. He _knew _what was _best. _Now she was rummaging through her bag (searching for her keys), Eddie noted, hastily closing in on her from behind. His intention, and technique, was to make it fast, swift, so there was no time for his love to think or react on what was happening. But this was _different. _He wanted to make a good first impression.

Now, it was time.

"Excuse…" His voice retreated to the back of his throat, coming out thin and hoarse. She hadn't heard him. He swallowed loudly, "E-Excuse me?"

The figure stopped, zipping up her bag first, before turning around to face the tall man. She had to tilt he head upwards to look at him in the face, she didn't seem intimidated by his height, but uneasy at the fact she was stopped by a complete stranger in the middle of the night. To Eddie, she was always beautiful no matter what, but she looked tired and worn from the day. Her powered eyelids heavy, her blinks in slow motion, her weight leaned on one side as she gazed up at Eddie with a drained expression.

There was nothing but silence that followed.

"Sorry. Did you want something?" A soft spoken, thick-accented voice broke through Eddie's wall of thought. He locked eyes with her, and all he could see was that pretty, sweet face of the woman he had admired from afar. Her lips were shaped into a round pout, a disguise she used to try and hide her nervous smile that was fighting to be set free. It was _endearing._ She was so perfect.

"I just wanted to tell you that," Eddie inhaled. The woman stood rooted to the spot, her face unsure and slowly descending into a fearful expression. The longer he didn't say anything, the more she edged away from him. He noticed. He needed to say it. "You're the prettiest woman I've ever seen."

**X**

The man who stood in front was a meter from her, alone, staring at her with piercing blue eyes that was shaded underneath his dark lashes. He was a broad shouldered man with a strong square jaw-line, brawny arms, and thick black hair that was in an unusual haircut. Both sides of his head were shaven, small gains of hair had started to grow back through his scalp, and in the center of his head was a strip of noticeably longer dark hair that was slicked back and smooth. It was a weird combination of the short-back-and-sides and a Mohican hairstyle.

He was tall, heck, he was _towering_ compared to most men she had ever seen. His pale skin stood out from his dull and dark clothing he wore, he was so pale, a sickly pale, like he had never been out his house. Everything paused for a moment. His words sinking into her mind that was completely blank and unprepared for what he just threw at her. She would have laughed, shrugged it off if it was somebody else, but his presence was so daunting that she found it difficult to even look at him straight in the eyes.

"Um," She didn't know what to say. Her mouth was dry, her throat parched. Bewildered by the sudden and unexpected compliment from a man she had never met left her speechless. Was he drunk? She smiled awkwardly, nervously, taking a small but determined step back towards her apartment complex. He saw her do it and looked rather hurt and concerned. There was no overwhelming smell of alcohol, nor did he stumble or slur his words like the regular men who were wandering the streets at this hour. He was stone cold sober. "Ah, thank you."

"May I ask, what is your name?" He asked, leaning forward, then taking a step closer, in which she took one back. He was very mild-mannered and well spoken, a somewhat refined manner about him, like the gentlemen she would expect to see on Pride and Prejudice. Was he serious? This _had _to be a joke. But he was being so solemn. His eyes were wide with anticipation as he waited for an answer, a small smile on his face as he looked down at her with his full attention.

_Wow. He's tall. _

She felt tiny and weak against the mountain of a man. Oh God. Was he going to rob her? Or worse? She began to fumble with her bag handle, wanting nothing more to run into her apartment, she only needed to get a little closer. This was just _too _weird for her. Sure, she had been stopped in the street numerous times, but she did try her best not to get unwanted attention. Now gripping her key so tight it began to dig into her skin, she positioned it so it was sticking out between her finger and thumb, thinking she could stab him with it if he did anything. She forced a smile, "Um, look, I, I really need to get home. I'm expecting someone. I'm sorry. I have to go."

"You don't have to lie. Not to me." He said sweetly back, his lips widening into a toothy grin that made the woman feel even more uncomfortable. She felt the color drain from her face. _What?_ She began to stutter another excuse, claiming that her Sister would soon be over if she didn't hurry, frozen on the spot like a rabbit in the headlights. Eddie shook his head slowly, the corner's of his mouth quirked upward,"I _know_ no one is coming. You little tease. There's no need to be shy. I'm just as excited of meeting you. You don't need to make excuses. I know how you feel. "

"I…I…" She swallowed. She began to back away, quickly glancing around the street to see if anyone was there. It was quiet and lifeless. His words were like poison, bittersweet poison, how he knew she was lying but told her in such a kind, sickening way. He _knew_ she was lying. Her stomach tensed. She no longer kept up her polite smile or attitude, but instead, began to turn on her heel. "I don't know you. Please. I need to get home."

"Oh, but sweet," Eddie's smile broadened. He was like a child, his voice full of excitement and delight, "I know you. I know you _so _well. I've seen you many times. I've watched you so many times. You're so _delicate, _so pure, and so perfect. But, I can see, only _I_ can see, that you're all alone, with no one to love. But, that's all right. Because you have _me. _I can take care of you. Look after you. I _love_ you. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"You…you've been…watching me…?" She wanted to vomit. She felt beads of sweat fall down the nape of her neck. Now she was shaking. Her body became stiff. Had this guy been _stalking_ her? For how long?

"Of course!" Eddie said loader, a burst of enthusiasm in his voice, "I know everything about you, sweet. Every. Little. Thing."

"What the fuck is this?" She whispered, her voice shaking now. Suddenly, she made a swift and fatal move, trying to run up the steps to her building. "You creep! Stay away! Or I'll phone the cops. I swear. Don't touch me! Get off! GET OFF-!"

His large hand went over her mouth, covering her nose in the process, making breathing for her hard with her panicked breaths. Her bag and key dropped to the concrete floor with a smash, her phone, purse, everything she carried scattering on the floor with a clatter. She screamed, fiercely, but it was all muffled behind Eddie's hand. She clawed at his skin, digging her nails so deep into his arm and hand that his flesh came off under her fingernails and began to bleed. Her body became rigid, her legs kicking frantically against Eddie's strength, using all her energy and will to just try and escape his unbreakable grip.

With arms of steel, Eddie didn't let go, only hushed his love. He had positioned himself into a hugging pose, his arms wrapped around her back, holding her close to his hard chest. Struggling to even breath, the woman's eyes began to water and become blood-shot, her actions becoming more distraught.

He let out a lighthearted chuckle, like it was a little naughty game between the two of them. Her blood ran cold from the mere sound. He was enjoying this? She tried to bite him, but as soon as he realised what she was trying to do he forced her mouth to close. She felt defeated tears fall down her cheeks, knowing that there no escape, knowing that no one was coming her help her. This man, this _monster_, had been watching her? She wanted to be sick.

"Oh, I love it when you play hard to get." Eddie cooed into her ear, but there was something behind his polite and soft-spoken voice. There was a growl of slight annoyance that she wasn't submissive to him, that she didn't comply, that she wanted to actually _run _away from him. Oh, but he couldn't _hate_ her. No, he loved the bones of this woman, no matter what she said, no matter what her actions were. She would _learn_ to love him. He inhaled her fragrant aroma deeply, "How you make me work for it."

"STOP-!" She managed to turn her head to the side and away from his hand. She inhaled the warm air, desperately trying to fill up her lungs again. She choked for a fleeting moment, before fighting against him again, pulling away with all her might. She heard the fabric in her jacket snap as she pulled, his hand like an iron vice. His grip hurt so, so much, she could feel a bruise being imprinted onto her arm. He was strong enough to snap her in half, and he could have, if he wanted. She resorted to begging, knowing that she couldn't overpower him, "Please let me go. Please. I-I promise I won't tell. Please. LET ME GO-!"

A rag went over her face, a sweet smelling aroma going up her nostrils, making her very lightheaded and even sleepier. She still struggled against him, swearing, kicking, weeping as she felt him burry his face between the small spot between her neck and shoulder. This couldn't be real. This couldn't _actually _be happening. She had watched so many shows and documentaries of woman being abducted and killed, and now it was happening to _her_, she never felt so powerless. So helpless.

Now, using her remaining strength, she tried to punch him in the head, but it didn't faze him one bit. She was trapped. He was practically crushing her ribcage to the point where she knew if he continued, they would surely snap. Her body slowly but surely began to shut down. Soon her arms became numb and unresponsive, her legs were unable to support her weight any longer, and her head flopped backwards onto the lunatic's chest. She gritted her teeth. She could no longer support herself.

She finally went limp. Like she was drunk. It had taken a while, but to Eddie's pleasure, she had finally become obedient. Though she was still conscious and mumbling faintly Eddie wrapped her arm around his thick neck and picked her up, unlocking the car door with his spare hand, then placing her gently in the passenger seat. He lovingly stroked her cheek, and then nuzzled her head, whispering comforting words into her ear before strapping the seatbelt across her small chest. If anyone was to look, it seemed like a loving husband was placing his drunken wife into the car, to take her home safe and sound.

"There, there," Eddie stroked her hair, "you're so perfect, _darling_. We'll be home soon."

He shut the passenger seat. He turned and noticed her belongings were scattered across the pavement. Her lipstick, her hairbrush, her phone that now had a cracked screen; he picked them all up from the ground and placed them back into her bag with care. Once he was finished, he looked around, checking that the street was still empty, which it was. Finished with what he came to do, he opened the driver's seat and got into his car, looking over at his now sleeping beauty with love and yearning. Placing her bag on the back seat, he smiled to himself, happy that they were now together. Sticking the key into the ignition, he turned it, and with a final look through the rear-view mirror he lifted the hand break.

And drove.

**X**

_**A/N: **__I would really appreciate some feedback on this chapter. Thank you for reading!_


	2. Chapter Two

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter Two**

**X**

The first thing she noticed when she gained consciousness was how cold it was.

Opening her heavy eyes she expected to she her alarm clock sitting on her bedroom dresser, her old stuffed teddy bear she found hard to throw away by her side, and her clean, well-ironed bed sheets wrapped around her tightly. Her heart sank as she was greeted by nothing but darkness. For the first few moments of being awake she was confused, wondering why it was so dark, wondering why her clothes were so damp, wondering why her head felt so—

_That man. _

It then hit. She felt a gasp leave her mouth. Panic and complete horror caught up with her. Everything came back. She let out a meek cry, her mouth trembling, her body frantically shaking at the haunting and horrific memory. The basement concealed her cries and screams, leaving her to her own sorrow as she unsteadily picked herself up from the stone floor she had been lying on. Her head swooned, a pulsing pain suddenly let loose once she stood, making her sway and stagger to the wall for support. Without thought she continued to shout, banging on the walls, feeling claustrophobic and high on adrenaline to attempt to break them down.

It was dark, damp, and _cold_.

She took deep, long inhales of foul smelling air, praying to God that _this _wasn't real. That she never met that man. That she was still sleeping. That this was just a dream. More dewdrops fell from her wild eyes and slithered down her cheeks, eventually falling to the bottom of her chin to drip off onto her black clothing she wore for work. She brought her hands to her face, shutting her eyelids, fighting back the tears that were stinging the corner of her eyelids. _Why? Why me?_

Her stomach turned unpleasantly, making a low rumbling sound that gave her a painful and throbbing twinge. _Oh no, did he drug me?_ The taste of acid came climbing up her throat, making its way to her mouth quickly and unexpectedly. She parted her lips to release the intense pressure that built up inside, but only bile passed her mouth and onto the barely visible floor above her bare feet. A prickly, almost burning sensation was left in her dry mouth, making her throat sore and swallowing painful.

She checked herself, making sure he didn't do anything to her, not that she could really tell. She just felt so _dirty. _So sullied. No, she had to remain calm. Think. _Think._ Controlling her emotions, she forced herself to look for a possible way out, as well as figuring out where she actually was. The room was icy, echoed and most of all, smelled unbelievably _bad. _She continually told herself she was going to be okay, she was going to be fine. Absolutely fine.

_Just fine. _

Wrapping her arms around herself she squinted into the darkness, trying to find a way out, _any_ way out, if she had any chance to escape she would grasp it. Looking upward, she saw a small source of light that barely reached her. There was a minute window on the wall, not even big enough to fit her thigh through. Even if she wanted to attempt to try and get through, it was too high up to even touch with just her fingertips. It looked to be sealed shut. The glass was covered with murky damp, dust, and pure white cobwebs were strung across the windowpane. The light it let through was limited, and even so, it only made a small section of the basement ceiling lighter.

"Fuck, no, no…" She mumbled to herself. She couldn't tell if it was day or not. Would someone notice she was missing? That she wasn't answering her phone? Would her parents have already rang the police? Her breathing began to become short, her mind panicked with the conclusion that, she could possibly be _murdered. _By a man who seemed so, deluded, insane. Behind his polite, gentleman-like behavior was someone who had been _watching_ her. For God only knows how long. Every time she stepped out the house, went to work, went to her parents, went out with friends, went to bed, got a shower, got dressed, cooked and cleaned— Had he always been there? Watching her?

_I know everything about you, sweet. _

She could still hear his eloquent, well-mannered voice in her head. She wanted to curl up into a ball and pretend none of this was happening. How could this happen? To _her? _What did she ever do? She froze, suddenly aware of a figure standing right in front of her, she coward away, holding her hands up in defense as she backed into the wall. The figure didn't move, not one inch, it simply stood there. After so long, she made her way towards it, cautiously, extending her hand towards the figure, touching it.

It was made of wood. A mannequin. From what she could see it was garbed in dark lavender silk that flowed down its wooden legs and was neatly cut off before it touched the floor. Much of it was hidden by darkness, but from what she could tell, it was handmade and not yet finished. Alongside the wooden model were several metal barrels, lined up against the wall, all sealed tightly shut and covered in some black liquid. The smell that came from them was overpowering, like raw meat that she usually would smell down at the local market's butcher. Turning away, she continued to look for a way out, noticing the light cement steps that led to the higher floors.

_I'm in a basement. His basement._

"Let me out of here! Please! Please let me out!" She shouted, climbing the steps two at a time, reaching the door at the top to unsurprising find it was locked. Rapidly banging on the door, she expected a response straight away, but none came. She screamed insults, pleads, but he didn't come to her. Had he left her here to just die? Like a pet rabbit a child would forget to feed? She bit her lip, fighting the overwhelming despair that tried to persuade her to give up. She plead for her life, promising she wouldn't tell a soul about anything, in hope he would be sympathetic towards her. She stopped and listened, a faint sound coming through the thick wooden door. She held her breath momentarily. _Music? Was he playing music?_

_Stars shining bright above you;_

_Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you'._

_Birds singing in the sycamore tree._

_Dream a little dream of me_~

She listened to the song, knowing it word-by-word, noting that perhaps he was ignoring her on purpose, or just intended to let her starve to death. With one last, knuckle-bruising bang on the door, she fell silent and wept uncontrollably till her eyes was sore. Her nose ran, and she wiped it with the back of her palm. She had come to the decision she was never going to see anyone again, she was going to die here, in this awful place. In about a month's time, she'd be on the TV, a picture of her smiling face on the news, broadcasting that her body had been found dumped somewhere.

"I…I don't want…" She swallowed back the lump in her throat, "I can't die…"

Abducted. Drugged. What was he planning to do? She couldn't push the obvious, horrendous, malicious word out of her mind…_rape. _Was that why he brought her here? To have his way with her, then kill her? Was that what he wanted to do? And if so, would she let him? Would it be better to accept her fate? _No! _Walking back down the steps in a alarm, the woman began to look up at the small window with eagerness, wondering if she could somehow smash it open and shout through it. Instead of using her useless eyes against the dark, she fell to her knees, and scanned the floor for a tool or blunt instrument that would be found in any other basement. A bottle, tool kit, heck, a football would do the trick.

Instead, she came across nothing. She groaned. Instead of wasting anymore time, she went to a metal barrel, and quietly as possible began to drag it across the floor. The black liquid stuck to her skin like glue, and it smelt like iron and petrol, but nethertheless, with died down grunts she dragged it across the floor. It scraped loudly every time she pulled, so she resorted to picking it up with all her strength, then dropping it quietly a little further ahead to make less noise than necessary. It was heavy, whatever was inside giggled about and bumped against the thick metal container. Finally, with aching limbs and shallow breaths, she got it to the wall, and with another straining pull, climbed onto it.

Now, her fingers could reach the filthy window. The barrel rocked underneath her as she tried to find the perfect balance for what she needed to do. With her fingertips she pushed onto the glass, hearing a faint crack from the pressure, but even though the window was old, it still didn't smash as easily. She cursed under her breath in desperation. With her last resort, she curled her hand into a ball, and hit without thinking about how much it would hurt, slammed her fist against the glass.

It made a cracking sound from the edges, but simply didn't budge. She cried, from the pain and also the fact the window wasn't going to break.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Everything became silent and still. All she could hear was her own shallow breathing and the sound of her heart pumping blood. The music has stopped playing. From above she could feel dust and wooden gains fall down from the ceiling and into her hair. Footsteps. There was the heavy sound of footsteps gradually getting closer, walking above her. Had he heard her? With widened, horrified eyes she jumped down from the barrel, banging her thigh against it as she did, soon feeling an aching pain crawl up her leg after. Hiding wasn't going to do anything for her, nor was trying to run past him when the door opened. What if he caught her again? What would he _do_?

She sat in complete darkness and waited. Waited for _him._

**X**

Eddie unlocked the door, allowing a spray of white light to come through the frame and into the darkness of his basement. Only slightly brightened, the room became dully clear, and there he saw her, sitting on the floor, wide-eyed and scared. She was so beautiful when she was scared, an emotion he desperately, but secretly, wanted to see more of. From outside the door, he flicked on a switch that illuminated the entire room a dingy yellow light, closed the door behind him and walked down the steps slowly. He could see the state she was in, a messy state. Wet lines of smudged mascara ran from her bottom lashes, her shapely body trembled with every step he took, and she seemed to be fighting off crying. She remained silent, perhaps too scared to speak or just couldn't bring herself to utter a word. How much Eddie adored her. He was overjoyed that she was here with him, and him alone, away from judging and jealous eyes. He had her all to himself.

He was wearing washed-out jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His right arm was covered with thin but fairly deep scratches, which made the broken woman's heart drop as she realized she had no power. Those wounds she had inflicted onto him hardly did anything.

"My sweet," He said in his most charming voice, it made her sick to her stomach, "What have you been doing? I hope you haven't been a naughty little girl." He teased playfully, his mouth curling into a genuine amused smile. Again, her stomach turned around and around, sweat dripping between her breasts and down her spine. She felt like she was going to pass out, and if she could choose, she rather would than have to face him. His face, that _damn_ face, how could someone act so casual and so _caring_ after doing something like _this. _He was sick. He was evil.

Lowering her head, she watched him through her lashes; she found it difficult to read his facial expression. He seemed to be having a mental battle with himself. He was in very, very deep thought. Every so often his pure blue eyes would flicker with something, a mix of realization, curiosity, and most of all frustration. But, he had a thin smile on his face. What was he going to do? Her chest tensed as he suddenly approached, expecting him to do what he did the last time he put his hands on her.

"Home sweet home." He murmured dreamily, reaching for her with his big hand, wanting to touch her glossy hair. He was so close now.

"NO!" She exploded, her voice echoing off the walls and hitting her back. She didn't know if she was crying, her eyes felt so sore and burned whenever she squinted. She retreated to the wall behind her, pressing hard against it, her hand out in resistance. She couldn't speak. All she did was curl into a ball, bringing her head to her bruised knees, wrapping her cold arms around them from some form of support and comfort. With a meek, barely audible voice, she spoke, "Please. Please let me go. Please don't touch me. Why? _Why _are you doing this? Why me? Please don't. Please."

"I'm doing this," Eddie replied calmly, "because I _love _you, dar-_ling_." He put emphasis on the last syllable. "I love you so much I can't bear the thought of anybody else having you. I don't want to share you. I want your eyes to only look at _me._ Look at me, darling."

"Look," A rough hand put her head in an firm grip. Her vision blurry and blinded with sweat, her own body betraying her as she felt herself tremble from the presence that hung over her. He tilted her head upward, just enough so she could see the jaw of the dark looming figure. A man. A _monster._ "At me."

A brief glance of his face caused her to close her eyelids in retreat. She was left with the smell of smoke, a strong scent of smolder that had attached itself to his clothes and hair. His hair. She could feel it against her own forehead, oh, he was _so_ close that she could hear his calm and collected breathing pattern. "What a _pretty_ face." He pushed her head from side to side, examining it. Unable to take the intense pressure of not knowing what he was doing, she peeked a look at him. His upper lip twitched, "Your skin is so beautiful, so soft, so tempting."

She couldn't remember the last time she was scared. There was no moment in her life were she felt pure white fear, until now. She couldn't feel her own body. "Please let me go. I promise I won't tell anyone about this. I promise to keep my mouth shut."

"I know, I know," Eddie let go of her, a frustrated sigh escaping his mouth. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm getting ahead of myself again. You know, I was so nervous meeting you, but now…" He looked down at her endearingly, chuckling, "It's like we're destined to be together. We just have this, uh, connection! Yes. Darling. We're meant to be."

"I don't even know you." She uttered, barely a whisper coming from her dry mouth. This was insane. _He _was insane. He was stuck in this delusional fantasy, and for some reason, wanted to drag her into it too. "I don't _know _you!"

"Oh, my love," He grinned, enthusiastic, "There's time. We have all the time in the world. Don't worry. I'll take care of you. I won't let anything happen you. I promise. I'll make you happy."

His hand reached out to touch her again, but she flinched and pulled away. "I'll _never_ hurt you." His voice was husky, and he talked slowly and considerate of what he was going to say, though his decisions were swift and to the point. "_Ever_. I love you."

"Then let me go. Please." She whispered. That's all she could say. She didn't want this man's love, she didn't want to know the depth of his desire, she didn't want him.

"Darling," Eddie sighed, tilting his head, looking at his beloved with soft light eyes, "You little doll. I'd be ever so lonely without you. Just like before. You make me _whole_. We belong together. It's what we've both wanted. I've seen you when your alone, and you seem so empty, incomplete. I've wanted this for a long, long time, and now, we finally have a chance to make both of lives brighter. I have you now."

"No," She shook her head frantically, remembering that he had been watching her. _Watching her._ "No, no, no."

"My sweet, don't cry," Eddie, sounding genuinely concerned, rolled down his sleeve to use it as a handkerchief to use to wipe away the burning tears. He didn't see them as tears of sadness and despair, but tears of joy and love that made him warm inside. He sighed absentmindedly, "I know it's a lot to take in. Please. Please don't cry. Don't crumple that beautiful face of yours. You have such a pretty face. Don't ruin it."

"I don't want to be here…" She croaked, "I-I want to go…let me go…"

"You want to leave?" Eddie's body stiffened. He swallowed. "You want to leave _me. _Is that it? Is that what you want?"

"Y-Yes."

He walked away from her, his mind now being consumed by his next plan, his next step. He did notice that his beloved had moved a barrel across the room, and without much effort, dragged it back across the floor to where it belonged. His face blank as he pried open the lid with his fingernails, carefully opening it up, allowing the foul stench that built up inside it out and into the basement. The woman looked up, grimacing at the sudden reek, covering her mouth in hope it would stop her from throwing up anymore. She could see the madness in his face. The complete change of character. She dared to ask, "What's…what's in…there?"

Feeling a sudden wave of heat and dread wash over her, she held her breath, watching as Eddie looked over to her. "Now, now," Eddie smirked, his tone ever so cheerful. His most distinguishing feature, his ice blue eyes, never showed any of his emotions, only continued to stare at her like a hawk. It was strange, but she had never witnessed him blink, or perhaps she had never took note whenever he did. Between wiping away his loose hair strands and placing the lid on the floor, he asked, "What killed the cat?"

She didn't answer.

"_Curiosity_." He answered for her with a charismatic smile, "You want to leave, like," He grabbed the woman's arm, pulling her to her feet, forcing her to witness what he did to the last girl. Inside the barrel was a body, a grey, wet, half-naked young woman that stared back up at her with blue, fogged over eyes. Dead. She looked up at her with a horrified expression, her mouth gaping open, her body swollen, bruised, broken. She was crammed into the barrel, sitting in the most uncomfortable position, her knees to her chest and her the arms twisted in the most unnatural position. This was how she died. He had locked her in her to die. "_She, _did?"

With a swift movement Eddie forcefully pushed her into the wall, making her slam the head against the concrete, a painful wail coming from her mouth. Everything around her became…_slow._ He had pushed her with such brute force that she felt like her world was darkening around her body. She shut her eyelids, seeing flashing white and grey smudges across the back of her eyes, and then opened them again to see Eddie's leg. He had opened another barrel. She gasped with absolute horror.

"OH MY GOD! PLEASE! NO, NO-!" She screeched covering her face. He didn't pay any attention to his love; he blocked everything out, her voice, her face. "I DON'T WANT TO GO IN THERE! PLEASE!"

He picked her up from the floor, his face vacant, and with a mighty push he shoved the bottom half of her in the barrel. He didn't stop. He _had _to do this. "DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!"

It was too late. He made up his mind. He picked up the lid from the floor, tackling his love as she tried to rock the barrel, attempting to escape. She was physically drained, she couldn't hold much of a fight against him, she was going to lose, and she _knew _it. He was going to lock her in this small, compact space, and leave her until she starved to death. She knew. With another push, her legs gave way underneath her with a crack as she was forced into the small round space. In that instant Eddie placed the lid back onto the barrel, pressing it down so it went in with a tiny _click. _From inside he could hear muffled screaming and the sound of his darling's nails scraping against the smooth surface inside. He sighed with relief, knowing his darling was safe inside there, and that she wouldn't be able to leave.

"There, there," Eddie smiled. He finally looked content. "Relax, sweet. Just give it time. Just give it time." He cooed. He made sure the tiny holes in the top were all clear before leaving. After walking up the concrete steps, he turned temporarily, watching the barrel shake as his little honey tried desperately to escape the iron cylinder.

**X**

"_Say nighty-night and kiss me; Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me~_" Eddie sang softly along with the song, his voice passionate and hitting every note perfectly. He walked over to his vintage vinyl record player, turning the volume up an inch so he could hear less of the banging from underneath his feet, then continued with his work. He took a gentle inhale of air, "_While I'm alone, blue as can be, dream a little dream of me~_"

**X**


	3. Chapter Three

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter Three**

**X**

_Why?_

Why did they always want to leave him? He showed them nothing but love and affection, bared his soul to them, took care of them and made sure nothing would happen to their pretty little bodies. No. They didn't care. They _used _him. Just like _they_ had used him for their sick, twisted desire, the sheer memory made his gut tense and breath become harsh in the endless fear and loathing. There was nothing more painful than memory. The horrible, unforgivable things they did to him, when he was so small, so little, so completely unaware of what they were was so, _wrong_._ So filthy._ He only knew of the pain, the stinging agony, the shame and embarrassment he was left with after they left. He could still smell their _foul, disgusting_ breath on the back of his neck. Them groping his chest, pulling at his hair, forcing him to stay still, say this, say that, it made him shake with fury.

The constant physical and psychological abuse he received on a daily basis was soon engraved into Eddie's being. His personality and characteristic traits began to reflect his abusers and he became nothing but a copy of them. He acted on impulse rather than thought of what he was doing, progressively becoming the abuser without even noticing it, repeating the very assaults his Father and Uncle had inflicted onto him as a child. It was the only way he knew how to live. It was what he was brought up with, what he knew, what he learned. One could easily force love upon someone, even if they didn't want it, they could _learn_ to want it. He could force someone to want _him_ if he tried hard enough, worked hard, _hurt_ them enough to make them submit to him.

And that led him to descend into his own delusional world. He wanted a kind, loving and compassionate family, unlike his own. He wanted to be the _perfect _Father that he never had, he'd have the most beautiful and picture-perfect wife and children, and they would be happy together. Now he had found the most perfect woman. And he will love her, make her better, and improve her for the _greater_ good. _Yes._ She was confused now, saying she wanted to leave him, but all that was needed was time for her to see what she _truly_ wanted.

He had _tried_ and _tried_ so many times to find 'the one', picking up or snatching woman from the street that caught his eye. But they all turned out to be weak, pathetic, _**whores**_. They did nothing but lead him on with false love and pity sex, and then, when they had gained his rare trust, they would all leave him with nothing. He gave them everything yet they still _fucking left him._ Oh, but even the worst of them he couldn't hate, no, _no,_ so he kept them just as beautiful and stunning as they were when he first saw them. He strung them up, preserved their slim or curvaceous bodies, sometimes opening them to see how warm they were on the inside. He made them dresses, talked to them, and even combed their hair to make sure they stayed perfect.

He couldn't be alone. He could _never_ be alone.

Now, after so long, he was sure he had found his queen. So, _so _sure that she wouldn't leave him. He had watched her long enough to know what she was like, shy, obedient, and most of all _devoted_ to those around her. A sweet, young woman, just like his _darling_ Mother was.

Yes, and she was now _his._

**X**

_Bump._

She was blind when she first opened her raw eyelids. The strong smell of iron invading her nostril to the point it made her wheeze out the foul smelling air from her lungs. Cradled in the metal bound that surrounded her she blinked repeatedly, feeling the nauseia and anxiety raise up inside her as she remembered where she was, and _who _put her here. Her body ached excruciatingly from being stuffed into a most uncomfortable position. Her face felt tender and wet. Her neck cracked whilst she moved her head to a better position, but it still didn't relieve her from the constant discomfort. Then, the air got caught in her throat, remembering the poor young woman who had died by that man's hand. Her terrified face, empty, a tortured expression, she must have been in there for a very long time. That poor girl.

_That bastard. _

She couldn't imagine how many other women he had brought here, there was no way in Hell she was the first. Proclaiming his love for her, it was a sick joke. Her mind couldn't get the image of that woman out of her head, that expression, that retching smell that rose from her decaying corpse caused her throat to clench. Even when her face looked terribly beaten and scarred, she could still tell the girl was younger than her, a teenager that barely lived her life. So, so young.

She trembled. Was she going to end up like her too? She couldn't accept it. No, she didn't want to die, not like this, _never _like this. Her head throbbed with haunting and tormenting images of what could possibly happen. Her mind went back to the TV show she watched a while back, about an abduction and murder, it was a CSI episode that she occasionally enjoyed watching whenever she could. Thinking back, she remembered how unreal it must be and how rare it is for something like _that_ actual happen. Her mouth pressed into a thin line, she bit it from the inside, trying to calm herself. How long _had _she been asleep? Was he ever coming back? Again, she reached for the cold roof of her small prison, pushing on it with her free hand for a prolonged period of time, until finally giving up. She dared not move too much unless the barrel tipped and fell onto one side, causing her to roll and cause more damage than good.

_Help me. Notice I'm missing. Someone. Anyone._

What was the last thing she said to her Mother? _I'll phone you later. I promise. Love you too. _When did she actually last call her? Or did she forget again?

_Bump._

She exhaled harshly. Finally, she heard the basement door open, accompanied with lighthearted murmuring of a song she had never heard of. A spasm of pain shot through her cramped spine like an electric shock, making her grunt through clenched teeth, trying her hardest to suck it up and take the temporary discomfort.

**X**

He began to whistle loudly, she could even hear it through the metal that she was incased in. She could feel the cold sweat form on her forehead and under her arms from the fearful anticipation of what was next to come. Soon the noise was gone. Unsure whether he had left or was still in the basement she stayed still and listened. She tried to free her trapped hand that she sat on top of. The blood had stopped flowing through it, making it senseless and swollen under her weight. _Click. _The yellow light that floodlit the entire inside of the barrel blinded her temporarily. She squinted against it, trying to adjust her poor eyes to the harsh beam, holding her hand above her head to try and shade them. Breathing in deeply she was pleased that the air supply had been restored back to normal, relieved she had lasted as long as she did, even with the small holes that were stabbed through the barrel lid. Then she froze, a towering figure ominously gazing down at her, shading her from the bright light. All of her body went rigid with fear, but also pure _hate._ It took all her determination not to try and attempt to hit him, knowing that her strength would never match his, and she most certainly didn't want to make him mad ever again.

His facial expression turned soft, gentle, his mouth tilting upward as his irritation subsided. Like he had dropped and accidently broke a plate he spoke, "Oh, darling, look what _you_ made me do," He carefully scooped her up in his arms, holding her painfully tight, not wanting to take a chance that she might run away. No, _no_, she wouldn't do that. She _knows_ how much he loves her, adores her. He couldn't help but feel possessive, a little greedy, a little boorish, it was just everything about this woman made the worst come out of him. That's how much she meant to him, the fact that he couldn't control the little bird he had captured, unless, he broke, _ripped_, pulled out her wings so she could not longer escape.

"You minx," He brought her close to his chest. Her face was pushing hard into his torso, the button from his shirt digging into her cheek. His touch made her want to vomit. She mentally restrained herself from losing it, but allowed him to hold her. He very much reminded her of a child who would sometimes hold their pet too tight, suffocating it with love, making the pet scratch away for freedom.

He felt her body go limp. He looked down and caught her silently weeping. "_Shh._ No, no, don't cry. Remember, I only did this," He leaned in, his hot breath on the nape of her neck, "Because I _love _you. I wanted you to know how much you mean to me. I know you're not like _them._ No, you're different. You're _mine. _I know what you said wasn't true, sweet. I know you'd never leave me like _those_ did. You were just confused. I know you're going to try your upmost best to keep me happy. I know this is happening so quickly, everything is going so fast, but let us en-_joy_ the experience. _Together. _Now, now, I _forgive_ you."

His grip tightened.

"It hurt _me_ more than it hurt you," He bowed his head, a dejected expression filling his face. His emotion and mood changed so rapidly. The slightest thing seemed to set off an emotion completely different from the last. He sighed, "Putting you in _there_. But, I promise, it was for your own good. Your own _good, _darling. But I can forget all that and forgive you. It'll take time. But we can move on from this. The both of us. Better ourselves for the sake of this relationship. I'll never give up on you. On _us._"

_He forgives me? He KILLED a woman and he forgives me? He blames me for what he did! This bastard! _She came to understand that this man only, _only _regarded and treated her like an object with no personality or dignity. She was merely a prop in his disgusting romantic play. _He believes behavior like this is acceptable, AND then blame's me for it afterwards._

"I'll change for you." His voice lowered. He placed her on the floor, but made sure he blocked her way of escaping. For a minute Eddie stood there, in deep concentration, his glare piercing into her face that she had to look away. "I'll be a _better_ man. I'll do anything to make you happy, darling. A successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way!" He exclaimed heartily, "I know we're going through a rough patch, but things will be different from now on. I swear."

"I…" She found herself speaking up. She wanted to say something. Anything. She hesitated, reminding herself if she said one thing wrong, it could mean her life. She didn't want to go back in_ there_, in that dark, cramped place he must have put so many other woman before her.

"You know," Eddie wandered away, turning his back confidently from her. He leaned against a barrel, his weight making it clank lightly underneath him. Bringing his hand to his face, he rubbed his itchy chin as he reminisced, "When I first saw you, it was love as first sight. I knew. I knew then that you were the one for me. You reminded me of someone. Your face. Hair. They all enticed me. I've been searching a long time for some like you, and I now I have you, you're the one for me. You may not know it now, but you love me too. Love is blind, darling. We both want the same thing."

"How would you know _that?_" She asked, her voice unstable and weak.

"Don't you want a family? A home? Someone who will look after you?" Eddie looked at her questionably, his thick brows lowering, making the skin on his forehead crinkle. He then nodded his head, slowly, "I can clearly _see_ it in your eyes. I'm the only one who can see it. We belong together. The two of us."

"I don't know you." She felt like a broken record player. He still wasn't to get it through his skull that she didn't want any of that, not with _him. _Her argument and opinion was irrelevant and unimportant to him.

"I want to _know_ you, too." Eddie smiled bashfully. His face then dropped. His mouth opened urgently, "My dear, my dear, I haven't had the honor of learning your name." He looked genuinely shocked. He said calmly, "I bet it's a lovely, beautiful, _feminine_ name. Please tell me it. Let me _adore_ it."

Just looking at him made her sick. She had to place both hands on her lap to stop herself from quivering from his loving observation. He'd been watching her yet didn't know her name. Was he lying? Was this a test on whether she was going to tell the truth to him? Her face crumpled. The thing that scared her the most was the way her talked, his voice laced with charm, but his intentions were far from gentleman-like. It didn't matter now if he knew her name or not, it wouldn't change anything, none of this would go away or disappear. She wet her mouth, "Jade."

Her mouth, Eddie was intrigued with her mouth, those plump peachy lips that sent him crazy inside. He breathed heavy, "Ooh, _Jade,_" He said back smoothly, putting a lot of prominence on the name, "You're a sin, darling." Eddie commented with a bold smirk, "Oh Lord, I completely forgot to introduce myself. Hah. Stupid, Eddie. Ever so forgetful. What use are you?"

His disturbing sweet-talk made an immense nauseating feeling build up inside her. This was beyond insane. She found it unbelievable how he could keep up this charming and charismatic character after everything he had done. The large lump in her throat returned, it hurt so much, her vision became unclear and groggy as she welled up again. He was speaking to her, but she didn't hear a single word. It felt like she was sitting underwater, all above was just a dull mumble. Everything was closing in, suffocating her, "Are you going to kill me?" Her voice came out raspy and light. Unable to keep up with this fictional lighthearted talk she fell apart in front of him. "Please, _please_, I'm _begging _you. Y-You love me, right? You want to make me happy? You'd make me the happiest woman alive if you would just let me go home. Please. _Please._"

He didn't answer. Why isn't he talking? Has she final reached the last remaining humane side to him? The only sound that filled the silence between them was her continuous cries of utter anguish. She heard him stand, "You _never_ learn." He said viciously. _Oh no. _"You pathetic little—"

"Okay, okay, wait—!" Once she heard him move Jade held up her grimy hand, gesturing him to not come any closer. She swallowed, "Can I at _least_ phone my Mother and tell her I'm okay? To tell her that I'm safe?" He grunted. His feet thumped across the room slowly, taking his time, tormenting her with how much power he had over his shirking violet. Jade curled her hand into a ball tightly, "To tell her that I've met somebody? To tell her that I'm moving in with you?"

That was it. She had played along with this make-believe love story. She saw no other way, she _had_ to do this, she _needed_ to do this to go on and live. He was silent, all Jade could hear was his heavy, but gradually calming breathing. She dare not look at him, in case her fake façade failed and he saw through her on-the-spot lie she had told him. "Darling," Eddie sounded delighted, though something told Jade he still didn't truly believe her. The way he talked, the term of endearment he used, it sounded all too fake. He _had _to know she was lying. Like the last time. "It's early days yet. Try to be patient. I know you're eager. So am I. But we should wait before we tell your parents, just for a while, see how it goes. We need some time _alone."_

He pulled Jade up to her weak feet, gripping her tightly, hurting her biceps with such strong hands that he could have just simply crushed her bones. _"_Then, then," Jade continued with her lie, "Then let me at least, uh, let me do something! Please. I want to help you. I want to be _there_ for you. Make you happy. Please."

"Now, now," He patted her hair affectionately, "A woman should never get her hands dirty. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to you. For now, just relax. And _behave._"

"But I want to help. We're a couple, right? We should so things together." She tried to urged him, "I could help around the house. I could clean. I'm so useless down here. Let me help. Please let me help. I hate it down here. It's not proper. I—"

"_Darling."_ He warned, his voice becoming infuriated only briefly, "You're so…_delicate._ Like all relationships, these things take time. Sweet, sweet time. You'll learn. I'll teach you how _obedient_ you have to be. To be a loving, caring partner. Now, _hush_."

She could only think that was his way of saying '_shut the Hell up'_, so she did. _Why did I do that? _"You're not going to leave me, are you, darling? Not like _her._" He breathed her scent in, "I don't know what I would do without you. I would be so alone. Please. Never leave me. Stay here, and let me love you. Let me take away that emptiness inside you. You won't _betray me_. Leave me like the rest of those loose, _whores?_" That vile, degrading word made Jade wince. And the _way_ he said it, a hiss through his teeth, "You understand, don't you, _dear? _I only hurt you, because I love you. You need to be put in your place. You need to be taught, tested on your loyalty. You understand, don't _you?"_

_Does he mean the girl in the barrel? Who's her? _She felt like a mouse trapped underneath a sadistic predator, who toyed with her, enjoying watching her panic and squirm. The way Eddie spoke to her was like he was scaring her into agreeing with him for his own benefit and personal gain of authority. And it worked. Fear could make a person do anything, and Jade was no exception. She nodded her head like a puppet, unsure, mentally shouting at herself not to cry and pretend she agreed with every single crazy thing Eddie was saying to her.

"Yes." She lied, "I do."

"Then," Again he grinned, satisfied with her forced answer. "Let us continue to how we were. How we started. You must show me how much you love me. How much you _really care._"

He raised his hand, swinging it in the air and whipped it across her delicate face, making Jade gasp with surprise. He repeated the sequence, again and again, soon making her face sore and bright red. She didn't utter word, but continued to take the pain, the only noise she made was the wheeze of shock by the stringing pain that he inflicted onto her cheek. "Then," He leered, "We _continue_."

_WHACK!_

**X**

**_A/N:_ **_Thank you for the encouraging reviews~_

_Thank you for reading~_


	4. Chapter Four

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter Four**

**X**

_2 hours later…_

"Please…please…_don't_…!" Jade's voice broke through the silence; a meek, small and trembling sound that had lost all the strength that remained. She waited. She watched.

From inside Eddie's deep pocket, he took out another knife, and admired the gleaming blade that glittered in the little light of the basement. The handle was made from old, splintered wood, but the blade itself had been kept in pristine condition. Time slowed down, painfully, as Eddie dragged the blade across her Jade's arm, light enough to cause only a small amount of blood to form in the split skin. She made the knife danced along her flesh, his mouth gaped in awe, until he finally stopped to admire what he had done to his beloved.

"You're a squealer, aren't you, my dear?" His mouth turned into a callous smirk, enjoying hearing the noises she made through clenched teeth. Only him would ever hear and see her in this state, and that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

His darling was on the oak table, laid on her stomach, her bruised cheek resting on its side so she could witness everything Eddie was doing to her body. Her right hand had been impaled with several knifes, them all hitting the wood underneath her palm and becoming stuck. He had left them all in her flesh with the handle only visible, the sharpened blades buried deep within her skin and bone. Jade dared not to move in case she caused more damage, or pulled so much that one blade would slice her hand into two.

It hurt. The pain was unbearable. It never faded nor did she ever get used to the sensation of metal cutting through her skin. Generally, she coped with pain very well, but this was beyond breaking a limb or having a tooth pulled out. This was _Hell_. She had screamed, and screamed, and screamed, but nothing stopped. She had asked Eddie over and over what he was going to do next, but he only _fucking smiled_, telling her it's a surprise. And in such an, _exposing_ position, Jade felt extremely uncomfortable, thanking the Lord he hadn't taken any of her clothes off. It was difficult to breathe now. It was difficult to not ask for him to just put her out of her misery. She couldn't do this anymore.

Finally, Eddie plunged the knife-edge into her other hand. He repeated the action, over and over, creating flesh-ripped holes into her outstretched limb, a heavy flow collecting onto the floor. A blood-curdling scream was forced out of Jade's mouth as she attempted to pull away. She begged him to stop, over and over, but he paid no attention. She wanted to pass out. Her hand had become a dark shade of crimson, and her clothes had become stained with her own blood. Spoiled by the sight she was given, Jade turned away and screamed, listening to the wails and cries of her own excruciating pain. Soon her throat tightened, and she was no longer able to scream, each plunge making her weaker.

Again. Again. Again.

The sensation of metal against tender flesh left her breathless, but through her agony Eddie still placed the tip of the metal onto her already ruined hand, and pushed it in forcibly. Ignoring the cries of the young woman who had now started to convulse, Eddie pushed the knife into an already made hole, until finally giving her body relief. The dull aching pain had begun to burn and take her body into oblivion. A trail of crimson salvia escaped her mouth.

It was unreal.

It was Hell.

It was _over_.

"_Darling._" He growled breathlessly. Wiping sweat away from his forehead Eddie took a moment to calm down. He then, with one swift yank, pulled the blades out of her hand. She let out an agonising cry of relief, feeling the metal slip past her broken bone and torn skin. Eddie huffed, "You need to scream less next time. Not a peep. We wouldn't want anybody to hear us, would we?"

All Jade could do was cry from the trauma. She was shaking uncontrollably from the unendurable pain that welled in her hands. She had lost so, so much blood. It was everywhere. Her heart was beating rapidly, banging against her chest painfully, trying to make up for the lost blood. The strong taste of iron was on her tongue, the thick fluid forming in her mouth. Her face had turned ghost white, dark circles underneath her beaten eyes, she could hardly see what was right in front of her due to her blurred vision. She couldn't feel anything below her elbows. It was numb. She was alarmed. She needed to go to hospital_._ "Now, now, don't cry. You're alive. You're not dying." Eddie hushed, "Lord, I love you so much. I'm going to make you better."

He hugged her from behind, resting her head on her shoulder, breathing her in. Then, she saw it, resting on the wooden table was a screwdriver; the one Eddie had used to stab through her wrist, flinching at the memory of him mercilessly sinking it deep into her muscle. He exhaled against her. _Get the fuck off me. _The tool was now covered in her dry blood, and glinted in the overhead light that swung gently from side-to-side. It wasn't far away; she could easily pick it up. It would be so satisfying to ram the thing through his head, so he could get a taste of his own medicine, his own sickening _love._ It was so tempting. So _very_ tempting.

He then roughly gripped Jade, spinning her around to face him, making her face wince as she expected another hit. Instead, he collapsed to his knees with a dull thud. "You've made me _sooo_ happy." He rested his head on her stomach. He rubbed his temple on her, groaning with satisfaction, his muscular arms pushing the wind out of her. "So, very, very happy."

**X**

It didn't take long before someone noticed Jade was missing.

The following Monday she hadn't turned up to work as usual. It was very rare for her to be late, or ill. Her employer had rung her numerous times but got no answer from her cell or home number. Her long-time friend, Lilly, had called at her apartment a day later to find she wasn't there. Soon, Jade's parent's who lived El Paso County was informed of their daughter's disappearance, and shortly after flew straight to Denver. The Initial Investigating Officer undertook instant enquiries; firstly making sure that the state police had all the necessary details so that a well-organized investigation could be conducted. Interviews with family and close friends were commenced less than twenty-fours hours later. They asked of any heath or medical conduction's Jade may have suffered from, occurrences that could have been linked to her sudden disappearances and details of her financial account in case she left the county.

Her family had made an appeal for anyone who had the slightest bit of information to step forward. Close friend's of Jade's assisted in the search with publicity posters and web appeals. Every shop downtown had a poster of her face stuck to the window. It was a picture of her that was taken a month ago, sitting on a bench in front of the ocean view, her dark hair tied into a high ponytail that flowed down and rested on her shoulder. A shy smile on her slim face, clearly expressing she didn't really want her picture taken. The tall, dark-haired man watched as police went in and out of her apartment building, interviewing neighbors and locals, taking pictures of the pavement in hope they would find something. There was a crowd of people in front the building, so Eddie didn't stand out, but choose to stand at the back by himself and watch as the police put up yellow tape so the area was restricted.

He stood and watched with a blank expression.

**X**

It had been week and a day. It seemed much longer.

She was nothing but a shadow of her previous self. Her once soft, creamy skin had turned an ash grey from the lack of sunlight, the splatter of freckles on the bridge of her nose faded. Her full lips had cracked and started to peel due to the constant dehydration. Her previously shining eyes had now sunken, making her expression haunting. Unwashed, greasy hair stuck to her forehead as Jade stared at the ceiling with a blank expression. The thick plaited rope that was tight around her wrists rubbed against her sensitive skin, burning and dragging her top layer of flesh loose. She wiggled her fingers to keep the blood flowing through. Her clothes smelled and were damp from her own body odor. She felt _disgusting_.

Her captor didn't feed her regularly, nor did he give her much water, only enough to stay alive. Even when she offered food she didn't really have the stomach for it, but it made Eddie angry when she didn't eat—it was if he thought her rude for not liking his cooking. So, trying not to vomit, she would take the smallest bite, forcing it down her throat, scared he had put something in it. He didn't let her shower. He didn't let her go to the small, grubby toilet by herself. He didn't let her walk freely anymore. He didn't let her change from her grubby clothes. He didn't let out the basement.

She had almost forgotten what the sun felt like.

But he hadn't killed her. No, that was to come later, after he had his fill. It was only a matter of time. The thought of freedom now was just a dream, and Jade, now close to losing the will to live, felt her life fading away. His torture, or _love,_ as he liked to call it, was a daily routine, one that consisted of beating, slapping and stabbing. It was strange. After each session he would clean and stitch back up her wounds, clean them with water, and then wrap them with fresh bandages for next time. He also kept the basement clean, scrubbing and bleaching it, making sure every spec of blood was washed up and poured down the drain. He only ever stabbed Jade in places that wouldn't kill her, not straight away, the hands, feet, a finger once, and then her right thigh. She _never, ever, _got used to the sensation of being hurt so much. Every time was like her first. She had scar tissue decorating all of her limbs, ugly reminders that would never go away.

She was surprised she had lasted so long, but sadly, upset about it too. She was ashamed. She had even prayed for death.

Over the course of the week Jade had indeed noticed a change in Eddie's attitude and personality. He became easily angered, stressed, and would curse to high heaven whenever she was close to passing out or lost too much blood. _What the fuck did he expect?_ He was a monster. That was the only word she could describe him with. A fucking _monster_. The basement door opened. No light shone through this time, so Jade could only guess that it was now night. The artificial light was switched on, and soon Eddie came into view, walking down towards her. Once he reached the last step he ran a hand through his hair, mumbling something to himself, and began pacing up and down the room. He was thinking, stressfully thinking. His expression was of worry, and _anger, _his lips was into a thin tight line and his eyes were blazing.

She didn't intervene. Instead, Jade stayed perfectly still and silent. Was he finally breaking? Was he going to crack? She could only guess that something had happened—or was going to happen—and it had made him panic. He stopped pacing. "They're looking for you." He sounded detached, "People. People all over. You don't want to go back, do you? You don't want to leave me, do you?"

_What? People where looking for her? Yes. Oh God. Yes._

"They won't understand. They won't." Eddie began to fidget, "They just won't. You—all of you—you all want to leave. You all think you're so fucking special."

"Eddie." The sound of his name made him turn to look at her. She swallowed loudly, "What's wrong? Who are they?"

"Shut up." Eddie snapped. Clearly startled, Jade brought her knees up to her chest, looping her tied arms over them and rested her head on top. She cringed. Why did she speak? Watching Eddie intently Jade began to notice his movements were becoming more aggressive and agitated. He began to pace again, up and down, up and down. He then broke down, "SHUT UP. SHUT UP. SHUT UP."

His voice echoed off the wall. His voice was like a low, furious growl. "You want to leave me? You'd rather be with them, than me? Is that it?" He asked, "You. And the rest. You want to leave and go back to your little perfect life? Why should I let you? You're all the same. _YOU FUCKING WHORES! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF UNGRATEFUL, DISGUSTING __**SLUTS!**__ ALL OF YOU! YOU ALL WANT TO LEAVE! YOU ALL WANT TO FUCKING LEAVE ME! YOU DON'T DESERVE IT! NONE OF YOU DO!"_

Her blood went cold. He bolted towards her, "Eddie, please, stop-!"

"_**SHUT UP!**_" Eddie screamed in her face, "You. You make me fucking sick. _ALL OF YOU! YOU CAN ALL __**ROT!**_"

Latching his hands on her throat Eddie lifted her from the ground and pushed her into the wall. Her windpipe instantly began to become crushed underneath his powerful grip. Her vision began to blur, everything around her fading into the dark whilst she felt the blood rush to her head, causing her face to change into a dark, unnatural enflamed color. She could feel Eddie's furious shaking hands that didn't weaken nor loosen around her slim neck, he was _actually_ going to end her, right_ now_, it was finally_ her_ time to die. She expected to be relieved, joyful, but now she had heard there was _still_ hope left for her Jade found a new reason to live. Her family, she could see them, all the cherished memories flooding into her mind of when she was a little girl, playing in the back yard and jumping on her Father's back so he could give her a ride. Running through daisy fields on a hot summer evenings with the family dog, the cool breeze sweeping away the hair from her shoulders. Her first day of school, her prom, her very first boyfriend, her graduation, her first job, moving into her apartment, simply going through life thinking that she could live forever.

No…_no…not_ _like this…_

"Eddie…" She forced herself to speak with the little remaining air she had left, "Don't…don't let it end…like this…"

He pressed harder, continuing to squeeze, stopping her breathing short. A trail of drool parted with her bottom lip as she tried to gurgle for him to stop. Her eyes were huge, almost bloodshot from the squeezing, his fingernails digging into the back of her neck as his thumb finally closed off her trachea. She could feel herself dying, feeling every moment of it, her body becoming cold. "You fucking bitch. You've been laughing behind my back. Haven't you? _HAVEN'T YOU?!_" Eddie snarled, "You want to join them? You can. You can be just like those bitches. You can die. Nobody can love you. Nobody will love you. You can die alone."

With another push against her throat Eddie watched as Jade's skin began to turn violet. Up till now, she had survived everything that had been thrown at her, but this without a doubt would end her. It was surreal and blurry, her mind was only filled with the thought of that she could smell sweat and blood, and her ears were damaged from his endless screaming. She was prepared for the oblivion of death. "We've could have had everything! _EVERYTHING!" _He gritted his teeth together, shaking her like a rag doll. Her mind went blank, no rational thought, no plan of escape or to break free._ "Why _are you making me do this? _Why?_"

He released her from his forceful grip, his eyes widening in realization of what he was doing. She collapsed onto the floor in front him, panting deeply, blood spluttering out of her mouth. No words passed between the two, they sat on the floor and stared at each other. Hardly pushing the air out of her lungs Jade choked, stammering, keeping herself pressed up against the wall so much it began to hurt her shoulder blades. She wasn't going to die. She had again avoided it by just a few seconds. "I'm sorry, darling," He was breathlessly, his chest going up and down rapidly. He tried to catch his breath. Something in his eyes changed, making them again soft, gentle, "Don't be scared. I'm sorry. Let's talk about it. Please. Forgive me."

He forced her into a tight hold, quickly untying the rope that held her wrists together so painfully. "I overreacted. No one. No one will take you away from me." He reassured, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

Something inside him made Eddie revert into his normal, tolerable self. With constant apologies he stroked her hair, kissing her forehead timidly, his entire figure shuddering from what he had nearly done. He could have lost her, and then he would have ended up _alone._ "Eddie, it's okay. I forgive you." Jade's voice was barely a whisper, her voice still hadn't returned to its normal state. For a while they both sat in silence, Eddie rocking his darling back and forth gently like a baby. She felt the tension in his chest lessen, until it completely dissolved into nothing but relaxed breathing. "I know. I know nobody will love me. I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you."

"Don't say that, darling." His voice sounded sincerely wounded from that statement she had made. He shook his head.

"You said it yourself." Jade answered softly. She _could _do this. She only had to play along with his make-believe a little longer, just long enough for the police to find her, and then arrest him. Since she was small Jade, honestly, was good at lying and manipulating people for her own personal gain. Sweet-talking the officer to not give her a ticket for parking too long outside a shop, acting flirtatious in front of a sale clerk so he could give her a better deal, making herself seem like a poor college student with no money so she could be given free stuff from her employer. Everybody did it. She just happened to be good at it.

"I was angry." Eddie sighed, waving his hand dismissively. No, not so angry, strained and concerned that people had started looking for her. Evidently, that formed into full-blown rage, and Eddie always directed it at Jade, someone that he could hurt over and over, and she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. All Jade could do was take it. He frowned, "You _made_ me do that. You _made _me. You made all this happen."

"I know." She replied guiltily. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But you need to control yourself. I get so scared when you're angry. _So_ scared."

"I know. I promise it will never, _never_ happen again." Eddie tensed. "You won't leave me will you? You don't want to go back? I swear, I know I've been unbareable over the past few days, but I promise I'll be a better man. For you."

"If the reason you brought me here, brought me to this place, is because you love me, and can't stand anyone else loving me," There was a pause. "No. We can get through this." With a relieved face Eddie slumped onto her small figure, almost crushing her again with his bulky body. He was indeed heavy. He placed his head snuggly on her thigh, his eyelids closing, his mouth letting out a lungful exhale of breath. He was happy with her answer.

"Sing to me, sweet."

_What?_

"Please," Eddie pleaded like a small child, "Sing me something. Anything. My Mother sang to me when I was a boy. Oh, such a long time ago. Yes. Such a happy life back then."

"Um, uh," She cleared her pulsing throat. _Ow._ It stung when she swallowed back the blood that kept coming up. She was baffled, confused, and most of all _mortified_ from his request. She tried to think of a song, an old, tasteful one, not a Pop or Indie number that blared from the radio at her place of work, that in fact, she wasn't really a big fan of. Her mind was swapped with ideas, until she finally settled on the song she had heard him play through the basement door a couple of times. He seemed to be a fan of the Blues, Jazz and Classic music from the old era. She took a long, deep inhale, "_Stars shining bright above you; Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you'. Birds singing in the sycamore tree. Dream a little dream of me~" _She cringed at the sound of her raspy, emotionless voice. "_Say nighty-night and kiss me; just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me. While I'm alone, blue as can be, dream a little dream of me~_"

Continuing with the song she tried her hardest not to drop a note, though her mind was elsewhere. People were looking for her. A small glint of hope broke through the cloud of hopelessness and depression that had shaded her. Just a little longer now, and she would be back with her family, her friend's, and this _bastard_ will be locked behind steel bars and left to fucking _rot._ Now, she just had to wait.

**X**

Her abductor was asleep.

Lightly snoring on her lap, his head resting on her thigh. He looked peaceful. So _normal. _Her mind was reeling with the possibilities of what she could do; she could escape and get the police. He never did lock the door when he was in the room with her. No, he _knew_ she was too scared to try anything. And he had been right. But now, everything had changed; the tables had been turned in her favor. The only thing holding her back was the possibility of her waking him up. Her thigh was trapped underneath his head, and the slightest move could wake him. Then what? Would he beat her again? Strangle her? Now, he was becoming more stressed by the day, and now people were looking for her, he could have easily killed her only an hour ago, and that would have been that. She would have become another victim. Another dead and used body in a barrel.

She watched him momentarily, his nostril flaring in and out as he slept without worry. The longer she stared, the more eager she became to do something.

No, she _had_ to do something. This was the time. Cautiously she raised her thigh up, trying not to jerk his head forward so much that it disturbed him. She cupped her hand underneath the back of his shaven head, feeling how warm and heavy it was. Her heart was in her mouth. The bones in her spine cracked painfully from sitting in the same position for far too long. Slowly, she pulled her leg along the floor, carefully trying not to make a sound against the ground as it slid from beneath his head. Yes, she was going to do it. "_Don't._" He breathed. She let out a horrified gasp, freezing instantly from his voice, tears rising in the corners of her horrified eyes. That was it. Her chance gone. She waited. He moved, clearly distressed, groaning and shifting his body more onto her bottom half. _Is he dreaming? "Don't touch me. Let me…let me fucking…go…"_

Scared and confused she didn't move an inch, she just allowed him to lie on top of her lap without moving away. He quivered hysterically, swore incoherently, fighting off an invisible attacker with his hand. _"Filthy pig…ugly…" _His mouth twitched. _"Die…No…Dad…"_

He eventually calmed and returned back to a peaceful, quiet sleep. She could only guess, from his reaction, that she did somehow disturb him, but only in his sleep. _A nightmare? Night terror? _Now, she couldn't do anything. He was fast asleep on both of her thighs, snoring away without a fucking care whilst she watched him weakly. There was nothing Jade could do, attempting to move him now would defiantly wake him up, and that was something she wouldn't try to do again.

**X**

_**A/N:** Writing Eddie 'overreacting' is the best._

_Graham Cuthbertson __did an amazing job on Eddie's voice. _

_Thank you for reading. _


	5. Chapter Five

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter Five**

**X**

_Hello, ma baby_

_Hello, ma honey_

_Hello, ma ragtime gal~_

The faint sound of singing came through the wooden door, traveling across the room, finally reaching the figure that lay still on the bed. The room was middle-sized, dark; the sunlight leaked through the bottom of the door and lit the space ever so slightly with a tinge of orange and yellow that was the host of shadows. A posing mannequin stood in the corner, clothed in a strapless red dress, a silk ribbon tied around the waist, the fabric flowing down to the floor where it pooled. Another was modeling next to the bricked over window wearing a blue gown, the dress was yet to be finished and still had pins stuck into the hem. The ceiling and walls were a deep, dark indigo blue, enclosed and giving the room an almost womb-like feel to whoever was inside it. The polished wooden table that sat in the center of the room held scissors, cut ribbon, and an artificial flower that was placed in the center of the table. The table legs had patterns and shapes that resembled flowers in bloom carved into it, along with an accompanying chair that was tucked neatly under. An ambient calm glow came from the lamp that was placed on the bedside table that every so often flickered.

_Send me a kiss by wire_

_Baby, ma heart's on fire ~_

Her mouth tasted stale from the lack of brushing and rinsing. The corner of her mouth twitched as Jade's inflamed eyes reopened to her new surrounding, then stared at the ceiling with a hard expression, unable to neither move nor speak. Every fiber in her battered body was screaming out in distressed agony, but was comforted by the different feeling of a soft and bouncy mattress underneath her. With just the smallest movement her spine cracked loudly, causing her to wince and swallow the cry that had built in her swollen throat, then carefully proceeded to move into a better position. Strangely, her hand wasn't moving. With a slight turn of the head she saw her right hand locked in a handcuff, the other cuff attached to the metal headboard, clinking against he steel every time she moved.

Everything around her was unstable, the room rotating around and around, making her queasy. She tried to remember how she got here, a wave of thoughts and scenarios coming to mind, but Jade soon came to the conclusion that Eddie must have brought her here whilst she was sleeping. How the Hell did she stay asleep? Unless, he _drugged _her, it wouldn't be the first time. Her body felt numb, sweaty, and unclean. Thinking back, she remembered Eddie sleeping on her lap, and she must have also eventually fallen asleep too. There was a minute of complete panic, her breath becoming short, tugging at the restraint with her remaining strength, feeling the metal cut into her wrist and mark her scarred hand. There was something about the room, an ominous atmosphere accompanied by a musky smell that perfumed the air.

_If you refuse me_

_Honey, you'll lose me_

_Then you'll be left alone_

_Oh, baby, telephone_

_And tell me I'm your own~_

Then door opened with a loud creak, Eddie's voice booming through the room, merrily singing his song whilst holding a tray. He wore a flannel shirt over a white top, and the same old blue jeans that had worn away at the bottom. He hummed the song over again, a deep, pleasant sound coming from the back of his throat whilst he placed the tray on the bedside table. "_Here_, darling," He took the glass of water from the tray, putting it to Jade's chin, "Drink."

Unable to speak as Eddie started to tilt the glass toward her, she opened her mouth and felt the ice-cold water flow down her neck with ease, quenching her thirst, cooling down her throbbing throat that had been squeezed so much she was sure it would cave in. Small droplets that had missed her mouth rolled down to her chin, then progressively down her neck and into the inside of her shirt. In such a position, laid on her back, she tried not to choke on the water. Taking a final gulp she turned her head away, noting to Eddie that she was finished. "Where am I?"

"This is my work room." Eddie beamed. Again, she looked around, observing the mannequin that stood in the corner of the room. He reached out to her, moving away the unwashed hair that stuck to her neck and cheek. "You're skin is so soft. Such soft, tantalizing skin, so silky. So smooth. Like a little girl."

"Why have you brought me here?" Jade choked out, his hand still maintaining the pressure on her cheek. She was scared. Something had changed. The reason he had moved her out from the basement wasn't going to be a good one, she knew it, and the small voice in the back of her mind continued to scream that it was the end of the road. Perhaps yesterday had been the last straw, he couldn't take the pressure, the only thing left to do was get rid of _her_. Thinking back, she was sure she had brought herself some more time, just enough to survive for a while longer. She surprisingly got him around her little finger yesterday with the sweet talk, but had he seen through that? No. Maybe, this was a sign of his trust; he had gone to the extent of taking her out of the basement, even if it was just for a short period of time.

Either way, she still needed time.

"So, you can witness my work," He removed his hand, "I've thought about it, and I've decided. I wanted to show you. I brought you here for a reason. Oh, stupid, stupid, Eddie. You forgot to buy more thread, didn't you? Ha." He picked up the scissors on the table, bringing them up to his face, inspecting them first before using them. He took a roll of silk that was next to them, unraveling it till it touched the ground, and then he finally began to cut.

"Why…" Jade cleared her throat, "Why don't we talk? Y'know, about stuff? About yesterday? You seem really stressed lately. I want to help you."

"Yes, talk," Eddie's face brightened, "Yes! A grand idea! It's good to get everything out in the open. To express yourself and to communicate with your partner is number one for a long lasting, loving relationship. If both partner's held back, nothing would ever be solved, would it? It's _good_ to talk. It's _good _to listen."

"Well, we, uh, we could talk about ourselves. I don't know the first thing about you. Isn't that odd?" She forced out a pleasant, light-hearted laugh. "I mean, it would be nice to get to know you better."

"Curiosity. Such a beautiful trait, dear." Eddie complimented. His voice was warm, amused, but it was hard to tell through his impassive expression.

"What were you like when you was little? Growing up?" Jade asked. She watched him intently, seeing that he didn't react, instead continued to admire the dressed mannequin. At first she thought he didn't hear her, or was simply ignoring her, but she continued to try and push some form of information out of him. A weakness, that was what Jade was searching for, she wanted to lure him into a false sense of security. She _needed _him to trust her. "What was your family like?"

"Oh. Well, my family," His answer, after a long pause, was positive and cheerful, "Oh! Ha. Yes! I was very happy as a child. Grew up in a middle class home, went to a privet school, went to church every Sunday. I was a good, well-behaved boy. My Mother was a very popular dressmaker. She even taught me how to sew, cross-stich, take measurements, gave me advice on which combination of fabrics and patterns gave the best results on a certain figure. I know, _I know_, for a young naive boy it may have been a hobby one was to look at and think of being…_different_. But it _truly_ did interest me. Working out the cost of work, taking into account of the fabric, trimmings and time needed to adjust the garment to create a _perfect _fit. I have an eye for detail and am nothing if not a perfectionist."

"My Father was a doting man, he worked hard, he and my Mother had been childhood sweethearts and they loved each other dearly." He clicked his fingers, "And my little sister, _oh_, cute as a button. She was adorable. Everyone in the family loved her. Yes, yes, such a happy family life."

_You're lying. _

She remained silent, watching him make a forced smile from the fake memory that he indulged himself with. She could see his hand tremble, curling into a fist, a large lilac vein protruding through his pale skin. He started to chuckle, then continued straightening the dress the mannequin wore, accidently dropping the silk he had cut, but he paid no notice. "Yes, yes, good old Daddy. Such a fun time. Heh, heh. Such a good, dear old Dad."

"What about those woman? The woman who were here before me?" Jade could see the anger rise in him, his voice becoming lower, his grip tightening around the fabric that covered the plastic model. She had touched a nerve, but she didn't want to wait for the consequences. "All those woman. Did you love them too?"

"Oh! You silly thing!" He looked at her endearingly, "They mean _nothing_ to me. It's all in the past. All of it. I've moved on. I would never think of going behind your back. I wouldn't hurt you like that. I've chosen _you._ From the moment I saw you I knew that _you _were the one for _me._"

"I know." Jade nodded, "I know you'd never be unfaithful. _Never._ Please. I want to know you. I want to _really_ understand you. Eddie. You can tell me anything. Anything."

**X**

He didn't speak for a while, his head in his hand. All Jade could do was watch him intently, expecting him to go into one of his rages, aiming and blaming everything on her like he always did. Eventually, he started to walk to the bed, slowly and cautiously walking to it until he finally sat on the end, sinking down onto the mattress with a dull creak. He rested his elbow on his knee, his left hand still hiding the emotion that had erupted onto his face. The bottom half of his face was still visible, though all Jade could see was his mouth that was pressed into a line, like he was trying to fight off screaming or an outburst that had built up inside. He breathed heavily, his chest going up and down more frequent than usual. He wiped his brow, then stared at the mannequin, a defeated expression. "I was so small…" He spoke slowly, considerate of what he was going to say, "It was only when I was older, that I realized, what they were doing was so…_wrong._ They did so much to me. That wasn't all they did. They hit me, kicked me, strangled me till I passed out, burnt me with their cigarettes. They said I deserved everything I got. They _made _me do all those disgusting, shaming, and fucked up things. I didn't want to. I didn't _want_ to. But they'd hurt me if I didn't."

"Eddie," A cold feeling engulfed her for a fraction of second. Nothing came out of her mouth; she couldn't bring herself to speak after listening to what he had just told her. He was now looking straight at her with those bright blue eyes, though he wasn't intimidating, but rather reserved, deep in thought, about to say something else to her but then thinking better of it.

"I want a family. I want to be a good, loving Father. I want to have another chance." Eddie spoke softly, looking at Jade with narrow eyes that hid something threatening behind them. They widened, as if he had remembered something. "You look so much like her. I _hated_ her. She never did anything. She let that those awful, vile pigs do those terrible things to me and didn't bat an eyelid. She could have left him. We could have escaped that Hellhole, but she didn't have the _fucking_ guts. She was _weak._ She wasn't a Mother. She wasn't anybody's Mother."

"I'm sorry," Jade mumbled. Everything came crashing down on her, yes, she wanted to figure this man out, but she was speechless from shock. What could she say? Everything is going to be all right? Nothing was going to be all right, he had _murdered _woman, _mutilated _them, his past was partly responsible, but that didn't condone what he had done. Now, Jade's head was spinning, her mind trying to think of something, _anything_ to say to him at this time. He had told her so much; did this mean he trusted her now? He wasn't going to kill her?

"I've been with a lot of woman." His mouth twisted, "I can still hear them crying, screaming, begging me to let them go. But I just couldn't. Instead, I decided to torture them. But they were weak, and gave up on our love, so I _had_ to kill them. I couldn't help myself. It's such a strong, uncontrollable impulse. I can't stand them leaving me, so I still hold onto them."

"You can get the professional help. I can help you, Eddie." Jade pushed herself from the mattress using her free hand. The bed wobbled under her as she tried to position herself in a comfortable sitting position, unable to continue with lying on her back and feeling completely defenseless, not that it made any difference. Her back cracked again, making her wince from the unpleasant sensation that rippled through her spine and then to her skull. She leaned forward, a concerned look upon her face, her hand inching toward Eddie's palm that rested on the bed beside him, "If you accept it, then you're already one more step to getting better. You don't have to do this by yourself. You need to understand that this isn't normal. You need help. I understand now. I understand. We can do this together."

"Some of them tried to _understand _me, too. They said they were there for me, that they would never try to leave, that they loved me no matter what. They wanted me to get help. They filled my head with their lies." He turned his head to meet her gaze, his face a mask of what he was truly thinking behind his calm persona, and lowly said, "Like you're doing now."

"No, no. Eddie, I'm not like them. Not at all." Jade shook her head. She placed her hand in his, gently rubbing his palm with her thumb, trying her best to seem caring. He pulled away from her, not liking the contact, brushing the sweat that built up within his hand away on his trouser leg. Jade's didn't let that put her off, she bit her lip, shy, before moving a little closer to him. "I want what's best for you. For both of us. Haven't I been good? Haven't I made you happy? I care for you, Eddie. I'd never leave you. I want to be with you. But, you have to see, that you need help. Professional help. Those people may have shaped you into who you are, but they don't define who you are. You are your own person. We can, um, move. Move away from Denver, away from all this, leave the past in the past and start a new. The two of us. That's all we need. I want this to work."

"Prove it." He said suddenly, "Look at me. Say it to my face."

"Say what?

"That you love me." Eddie instructed. He turned his head around, his body moving closer to her, for a moment Jade had forgotten how towering and frightening he was. The look he gave her was a burning gaze that made her heart swell painfully, an expectant look along with his hardened face and tightened mouth. His head came to her shoulder, just hovering above it, before speaking, "Say it."

His expression darkened even more, his voice turned into a low hiss, barely a whisper against Jade's ear. Everything stopped; all Jade could hear was Eddie's calm, collected breathing against her neck, sending bumps along her skin. He came away from her, inspecting her face, waiting for her reaction or any emotion that came to her face. "I love you, Eddie." Jade said quietly. His eyes glinted in response. He began pressing his whole body against her. His buried his head into her neck, shyly, wrapping an arm around her back and embracing her strongly. His weight caused her to lean back, until she was laid back onto the bed again. She laid underneath him in silence, not knowing what to think—or what to think of anymore, her mind wasn't clear enough to know what she was doing. It was unexpected for him to have reacted like this, pressing down on her, but still, she felt like a small animal trapped by a hunter. The movement Jade made wasn't out of love, or fear, or any motive, but pure reflex. Trying to ease him off her Jade wrapped her free arm around his neckline, caressing the small spot where his hair started, feeling how warm and soft he was under her hand. The strip of black hair was smooth, unruly, and tickled her hand, and his shaven side prickled her forearm, but it wasn't unpleasant. Finding the opening of his white shirt Jade timidly put her hand down his back collar, feeling his strong hardened back against her palm. He flinched, pushing himself away from her.

He didn't like that.

Getting the message she took her hand out, placing it back onto the outside of his flannel shirt, rubbing his back. She was aware of every small, purposeful movement she made. He sighed, letting his guard down, his hand gliding over the bed to rest beside Jade's head. He was breathing harder than usual. This was _difficult_ for him, everything that related to being intimate with someone was difficult, and Jade could clearly see the distress in his face. "I'll only touch you on top of your clothes." Jade whispered, letting her nose touch his high, defined cheekbone, her mouth sliding passed his cheek. Their nose's rubbed against each other in their movement to get closer. Softly Eddie touched her cheek, her mouth, his hand traveling south down to her chin where he held it in place. He hovered above her, his hot breath on her mouth, so close that Jade could hardly breathe at all. "Eddie, please. Take this handcuff off." Jade pleaded softly, breathless, "Please. Just for a little while. I want to hold you."

There was moment where he contemplated what she had asked, unsure of whether to comply. She understood his hesitation; if anything she had learnt from this sicko was that he needed to always be in power, in control of the situation and dominate over her. Nevertheless, he fumbled with the object inside of his pocket, and then before Jade knew it he had freed her hand. She flexed her hand, allowing the blood to travel back through her veins, and then placed it behind Eddie's head like she did with her old boyfriend. He did the same, only his grip was firmer, so much that Jade was forced to arch her back and unintentionally rub up against him. He let out a moan, his head resting on Jade's shoulder, the heat between them causing Jade to sweat even more.

So close.

His mouth found her bottom lip, and he kissed her tensely, pressing on a little too hard that it made Jade's head sink deeply into the pillow. His kiss was soft and wet against her dry mouth, a gentle, mild taste of coffee on his tongue. With Eddie too focused on his performance, Jade slowly reached out for the lamp that stood on the table next to them, wrapping her hand around the cold metal neck and taking a minute to prepare herself. His tongue invaded her mouth even more, making soft wet noises as their lips parted only to rejoin again and continue with the kiss. He sucked hard on her lip, biting it slightly before moving down her chin and neck.

_**SMASH!**_

"Don't you _fucking_ touch me!" Jade snarled, feeling the blunt object fall out of her hand and crash onto the floor along with Eddie. It was so quick. He was pushed from on top of her and fell to the floor like a brick into water. There was the sickening feeling of dread coursing through her stomach, a fleeting moment where she regretted what she had done, seeing the red liquid pool onto the floor Jade felt cold as she realized that she could have killed him. His head was clearly dinted, like an old tin can, instantly becoming purple and inflamed, the broken skin allowing the constant flow of blood to run down his cheek and onto the wooden floor beside him. All Jade could do was stare, taking her time to breathe and collect herself from her sudden act of violence, a trait she wasn't used to inflicting upon others, it wasn't in her nature to. His mouth was hanging open, his head tilting upward and away from the bed due to the impact that sent him in the opposite direction. She called out to him, "Eddie…?"

No answer.

Without another thought, Jade scrabbled to the edge of the bed, stiffly lifting herself from the mattress that squeaked under her weight. A gasp came from her mouth as she attempted to stand on her own, her leg cracking, her knee bending from the forgotten weight of her own body, every second going ever so slowly. Like a child learning to walk she took it slowly, one small step at a time, her arm outstretched in hope it would keep her balanced. Another step forward and her leg locked, causing her to fall, a sharp wooden fragment from the timber floor embedding itself into her thigh mercilessly.

A groan.

"D…Darling!" Eddie sounded nonplussed, though having taken him by surprise Jade felt much more in control over the situation. She wasn't afraid. "D-DARLING! Come back to me!" Finding her feet she bolted for the door, fumbling with the handle in desperation to get out of the room. There was a swift touch of flesh from the Eddie's fingers that entangled themselves into Jade's hair, but the woman pulled away, hearing a small rip as a handful of hair strands were pulled from her scalp as she finally managed to open the door. With a grunt Jade fell to the ground, landing heavily on her abdomen that winded her. She sucked on her teeth, feeling her eyes water and nerves cringe from the throbbing sensation that burned into her head. From behind, Eddie was left with a handful of hair; he looked upon it like it was made of pure gold before rubbing it against his face. He unstably leaned over her, opening his mouth to speak, but was disturbed by Jade's foot kicking into his collarbone. "Now, now," Eddie coughed, rubbing his shoulder tenderly, "Darling, you need to behave. You have nowhere to go."

She crawled out of the room and into the corridor. The stinging sensation from her scalp made Jade's vision blinded by tears. She found her feet, and began to run, banging into the wall all the way down the hallway. The once soft sunlight coming from the window felt so harsh against her eyes, causing unbearable white light to fill her vision and cause Jade to blink continuously as she passed another room. Ahead, she saw the staircase, the wooden banister curving downward to the lower floor. "My patience is wearing thin." She could hear the anger rising in Eddie's voice, his calm, collected guise wearing away each second. "Just come back, and let's talk about this. Be reasonable."

Again, his hand reached her, grabbing the back of her neck like a solid metal clamp. With a shot of adrenaline Jade pulled away, unintentionally dragging Eddie with her. She shrieked, stumbling back into the handrail on the top floor, hearing it creak and rupture under both herself and Eddie as they struggled. His hand went around her throat, pushing inward tightly, her aching throat tensing from the returned density. She pulled away, her balance becoming unstable, until she finally fell down the staircase. When she reached the bottom ground she banged her head against the wooden floor. A loud whistle rang through Jade's head, like someone hadn't taken the kettle off the stove and left it to boil. The strong taste of iron returned back into her mouth, filling it until she had to open her bottom lip to allow the blood to be released. Her body felt like it was floating, no pain, no agony, she felt at peace with herself. Opening an eye, Jade saw her hand against the floor, her bruised arm, and the blurry outline of a sofa in the unsteady background.

"Oh, oh God! Are you okay? Please! Please be okay! Have you broken anything? Darling, move. Please don't be hurt."

Her stomach dropped.

She could finally feel the burning pain spread throughout her being and consume her in a paralyzing agony. Her knees had hit the floor with a thud first, causing her skin to bruise and tense from the sudden impact. Opening her mouth, she expected herself to vomit, though her abdomen refused to allow whatever was inside her out. A burn. With the pounding of her own pulse in Jade's ears she wailed at the sensation that had erupted inside, causing so much pain that she momentary thought she would pass out. She coiled into a fetal position, pressing her head into her arm, trying to make the pain subside enough to carry on with her escape. He was coming closer. She needed to move _now. _With a grunt, she pushed herself from the floor, stumbling into a run until her fractured ankle gave way and she met the floor once again.

"Oh, darling," He came into view, taking his last step onto the bottom floor. She could feel the faint vibration of his foot meeting the ground against her cheek. He looked enraged, menacing, his voice hardening and coming out hysterical. She had played him. _Him. _He was so sure she was the one, but she was nothing but another user. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, not wanting to taste her on his own mouth, he felt repulsed by the memory. "You had to ruin it, didn't you? We could have had everything. Why? Why would you do this to me? Haven't I given you everything? And _this,_" He kicked her in the abdomen, "Is what I get back? I could have forgiven you earlier, but now, I _know_, I can never trust a slut like _you._"

She had risked everything, and lost.

"NO!" She screamed, feeling his large hand on her shoulder, pulling her upward. "LET GO! LET ME GO! PLEASE! NO, NO-!"

"Hush now," He said softly, "Be still."

**X**

Eddie, reduced to his plain daily-wear, continued to cut Jade's long dark hair. The young woman sat patiently as her glossy locks fell to the floor, creating a heap of greasy strands that covered the wooden flooring. The scissors would sometimes glide against Jade's scalp, causing growing redness and blood to seep through the thread-wide slice. Instead of screaming, she had leant to except the pain, and to sit still. She was distant, numb and silently gazed at the wall. Her naked body would tense and shiver from the coldness of the room. Curling her toes Jade wished she still had clothing on, even if they were soaked with ice-cold water. Her arms were tied onto the chair, again, she had lost the feeling to them. He roughly brushed away the dead hair from Jade's bare shoulder, "Why must you cause so much grief? Punishment. It will clean you."

Her head had become lighter, much lighter; she could feel the bitter air on her sensitive and exposed scalp. She searched for some sort of sympathy or mercy in Eddie's eyes, but saw none. A sudden rush of humiliation reached her face, her last bit of dignity gone. Her head swirled, her mind unclear, having no control over the situation made her anxiety raise to the point her breathing patterns became broken and less controlled. "I'm sorry." She whimpered, trying to hide the shaking in her hoarse voice. In response Eddie took a handful of remaining hair and pulled tightly on it, making Jade squirm and moan through her clenched teeth. She sucked in the air, fighting the cries that had built up in her throat, though not daring to fight back. She found her head being pulled back, so she was forced to look up at Eddie through her blurred vision. "I'm…sorry…"

"You betrayed me. You said you loved me. You fucking _liar. _You used me. You _used_ me. How could you?" Eddie's voice was cold, distant. He brutally cut the last remaining lock of hair, allowing it to fall to the ground, then stepped back and admired his work. Finally, it was over. The young woman's hair was extremely short and pigmented with her own blood. She looked at herself in the cracked mirror that sat in the corner, and saw what Eddie had done, but gazed at her own reflection like she a stranger to herself. She was practically bald; the remaining hair she had left wasn't even worth being there. "You're _ugly_. You're ugly, you're a lair, and you've _never_ fucking loved me. Have you?"

"Please…" Jade cried, her gaze turning away from his, "I'm so sorry…please…_please_ don't kill me…not like _this_…I don't want to die…"

"You don't deserve love. You don't deserve to live." His jaw went tight. He walked over to bedroom door, closing it shut. She watched him lock it. Returning back to her with a shaking hand Eddie raised the scissors over Jade's throat, trembling wildly, the anticipation of what he might do was unable to be controlled. The line in his forehead deepened, "Let me show you. Yes. Yes. You can die. Like _them_."

**X**

_**A/N:** I think the song __**'Hello! Ma baby'**__ really suits Eddie, in a kind of messed up way._

_Sorry for the absence. This story will be completed!_

_Thank you for reading~_


	6. Chapter Six

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter Six**

**X**

_Like them?_

The thin metal blade was unsteadily hovering over her uncovered throat. She was prepared for Eddie to cut deep into her, like he had many times before, only this time it would end her life. She was ready for the feeling of metal to impale into her skin and bone, feeling her vein burst open, feeling herself pour out onto the floor and pool beneath her as everything faded into black. Now. She wanted it to happen _now._ Her eyes remained open as she pictured her beloved family, happy, sad, she tried to remember all the memories she had from her short life and drown herself within them for comfort. Her body didn't feel like her own anymore, it was ruined, scarred, and covered with multiple bruises that stood out on her greying skin like black ink onto white paper. Eddie, staring down at her, brought his face closer; his mask had finally been removed and Jade saw that this man could _never _be saved or helped. His voice became soft, but it still possessed the hiding emotion of anger that had been forced to subside for now. "Just like _them._"

He was referring to something in the room, but Jade, with her line of sight locked the towering man, didn't look away. She continued to stare at her murderer, wanting to know if he'd smile, or laugh, or maybe cry when he finally let her go and slit her throat wide open. The sudden urge to know if Eddie would show any emotion, if he'd regret it, if he'd change his mind. After what seemed like forever waiting for death Jade watched intently as Eddie suddenly walked away from her with a grunt, his hand shaking madly, a small droplet of sweat falling down his head and down his cheek for him to wipe away. Like he was possessed, Eddie began to walk to the other side of the room, his eyes glazed over and wide like a frightened child that had lost his way. He tapped the floor with his foot, and then listened, before moving onto the next section of the floor and repeating the action. He did it again, and again, until he got to a part of the floor that sounded hallow. Dropping to his knees, he began to pull out the loose wooden plank from the floor, then another, and another, and soon there was a wide human-sized hole in the ground that released a stench.

"Here they are," Eddie sighed, absentmindedly staring into the small pit of space underneath the floorboards, admiring something that was blocked from Jades view due to Eddie's huge back. The smell finally reached Jade, causing her to gag and acid tasting bile to build in her throat. Her vision blurred and burned, and unable to even wipe away the loose tear that began to slip down her nose, she closed her eyes tightly. Beside her she heard the dark-haired man move, revealing to Jade what his _work_ was, what he had done to the other woman who had used him and lied to him about their love. She turned her head to the left, straining slightly, her neck cracking and throbbing numbly. He smiled brightly, "Beautiful, just _beautiful, _aren't they?"

"_OH GOD!_" Jade screamed, feeling herself wave in and out consciousness, but wasn't blessed with such a thing. She pulled on the restraint, feeling as though her bone was bending from how much she was pulling away, feeling as though they might just shatter from the slightest movement she made. But she didn't care. It was her instinct to panic from the sight she saw, and from the way Eddie acted, so calm and sincere, it only made her more fearful of what was to come. "_WHAT THE FUCK!? YOU'RE SICK! SICK! WHAT DID YOU DO!?_"

"They're beautiful now." Eddie explained, moving away a curl of hair away from the closest corpses face that had eroded into nothing but a skull covered with the thinnest, rotting skin. Lined in a row were more than ten bodies, squished together like sardines in a can, some completely worn and rotted from age, several still alive-looking and plump. Eddie carried on endearing his work, kneeling back down onto the dirty floor, "So, so, _beautiful_."

The body closest to Jade was grey, putrid, though it held a model pose due to the iron rod that had been forced though her body, a metal frame that was visible through the transparent skin. It was garbed in a blue dress that had been also sewn into the skin as well as the actual fabric that hung about the dead body, like Eddie had to force the then-alive woman to wear it, even if it meant he had to stitch it onto her. The body looked fairly new, like it hadn't been dead for that long, the woman's mouth still had color and her wide eyes still shined and seemed to scream out to Jade in desperation. Though, her fingertips had begun to turn black and her once pretty, turned-up nose had begun to collapse inward into her face. _Her face._ Then, Jade saw it, the white power that was smeared onto the woman's face, the pink lipstick, the eyeliner, the eyelashes, and the red blusher…

He had turned them into…_mannequins? _Each one had been dressed and decorated like some child's doll. Like a _toy. _Looking closer, her mouth opened in silent horror, she saw that the dead woman was wearing a _wig_, a blonde wig that someone could buy from the fancy dress shop or a hairdresser. He wanted to keep them alive, in his own twisted way. No, he _wanted_ them to die, then they couldn't leave, then they'd have to stay here and allow him to love them. Their painted nails, brushed, silky hair, pretty shoes- "You can die," Eddie said calmly, "After I've shown you my work. That was the reason why I had brought you here."

"You bastard." She spat coldly. There was nothing that could save her now, she should have known from the beginning that Eddie was _never _going to let her go, it didn't matter if she was obedient or not. "You fucking sick psychopath! You should _**DIE!**_ You're a fucked up man! You've enjoyed killing these women! All of them! Yes. You're right! I've _never_ loved you. You're sick in the head. No one can help you! _**NO ONE!**_ And you know what? I'd rather fucking _DIE_ than be with you!"

She continued to scream until her throat burned, not caring for the consequences, not caring for what Eddie would do to her and what would happen to her body after. She needed to scream, everything had caught up with her again, her death wasn't going to be simple and short, he wasn't going to kill her, Eddie was going to _make her better. _He was going to actually _change _her. Her heart swelled painfully and her breath was caught inside her throat, everything began to spin around her, her body felt heavy and hot. "You'd rather die," Eddie came closer to her, embarrassed but infuriated that she hadn't liked his work. She was a nothing but an ugly, selfish, nasty, _liar. _"Then let me love you."

**X**

He started to laugh, small splutters of laugher that silenced Jade into shock and disgust. He shook his head, collapsing at Jade's feet, his back going up and down as he tried to stop from laughing. His toothy smile made the woman's stomach tense, that carefree and delusional grin that she despised so much, she would have given anything to knock every single one of his teeth out of his gums. The man calmed down, his breathing slowing, though he remained smiling sweetly at her. "My Mother knew what was going on," He grinned, though his eyes looked lifeless and bloodshot, and he said the word Mother like it was a _filthy _word. "But she didn't do anything. She just left me. Whenever he came home from work, she just left him to it. Even when I cried and begged for her to stay, she just _left _me. What kind of Mother would do that to their son? Their baby? How could she live with herself day after day knowing that her Husband was doing those things? Maybe, if things were different, maybe if she _had_ left him…"

"No, no, no," Eddie wrapped his arm around Jade's leg, resting his head on her knee, looking up at her admiringly. "They're all unpleasant, disgusting, ugly woman. Looking at me with their judging eyes, talking and laughing at me behind my back, thinking I don't know. Oh, I _do_ know. I know _everything_. I _know _you." He kissed her thigh tenderly, his cheek against the inside of her leg; his long lashes tickling her slightly as he blinked. He continued to kiss her up and down her leg; his mouth traveling further up each time, until her finally reached her stomach. He rested his head there, listening to her shaky breathing, feeling her warmth against his own. "I wanted a family. Another chance. I _wanted _to make things right. I wanted a new start. I _needed _to kill those women. I had to get rid of them. They were all distractions to what I _really _wanted. To get what I loved the most, I had to get rid of what I liked to look at, and find a woman that would always be there and never leave me alone."

"Go to Hell." Jade replied breathlessly, her voice sharp and vicious. She didn't want to know his story, his fantasy, his reasoning to killing those innocent and young women. None of that excused him of what he had done. He raised his head, his arm resting on her thigh, the other on the arm of the chair. His expression was impassive, unreadable, though his gaze remained cold and distant like all the other times she had dared to look into his indigo eyes. His jaw tightened, his forehead creased, but he remained silent. "Go to _fucking Hell._"

He hissed through his teeth. His hand found their way to her throat, past her breast, her shoulder blade, and latching onto her neck like a vice. He leaned inward, looking up at her with a tormented expression, though he repressed his anger and kept it to himself instead of firing it. "You're a distraction too. Just another whore. Just another empty shell." He finally stood up. From his front pocket he took out a small knife, rusted but sharp, and placed his thumb on the edge to check if it would still make a clean cut. No mess, no scream, that was all Eddie wanted, and at the end of it all he would be left with a beautiful and transformed woman.

"They're going to find you, Eddie." Jade croaked, sucking up the panic that had ignited inside her, "They're going to find you, and my God, when they do I hope they fucking _shoot_ you. You'll be caught. You'll be put in a padded cell and snug jacket for the rest of your pathetic, disgusting existence, until they put you on death row. Are you listening to me? Are you fucking listening to me?"

"Close your eyes, darling," Eddie smiled, his voice surprisingly soft and kind, though Jade put it down to a coping mechanism he had made to block everything negative out. He kissed her soaked cheek softly, brushing away the hair from her face, stroking her shoulder tenderly. His mouth was wet against her skin and left her feeling _dirty._ He didn't seem to mind when she moved away from him, weeping silently, and instead grabbed the back of her neck, "It will only hurt for a little while. I _promise_."

Instead, Jade kept her eyes wide open, staring back at the dark-haired man as he forced the knife into her soft skin and slit her throat.

**X**

_1 week later…_

He hadn't expected it.

She passed him in the library, accidently brushing past his arm, sweetly and shyly apologizing to him. Her smile was warm, welcoming, her hazel eyes capturing him like nothing else had done before. She was _beautiful_, wearing a floral skirt over her slim frame, her red hair tied into a bun, her glasses resting on the edge of her nose as she continued to read her book. The feeling he got from looking at her, an unexplainable lust and learning, something he thought had died only just a week ago. She turned around, looking at him from over her shoulder, giving him a fleeting smile then turning a corner around a large wooden bookshelf. He continued to stare after her, completely forgetting about the book he was holding, his mind now invaded by her sweet face. Everything began to become clear again, like the dark cloud had been lifted from his mind, and he could see clearly again. She was the one. He knew it. All the strain and worry had just disappeared, along with any doubt or confidence woe, he had finally found the one that he was going to love for the rest of his life. He could start again, and do it _right_ this time, he would learn from his mistakes and continue on with a new outlook.

She reappeared again, seeming to be looking for a specific section to put back her book; finally stopping she struggled to reach the highest shelf. Eddie noticed her struggle, and like a gentleman, came to her aid and offered to put it back for her. The woman looked embarrassed, but thankful, and she smiled brightly as he slipped the book back between the collections of thick, old books that were tightly fitted inside the shelf. "Thank you."

"That's all right." Eddie replied, a smile spreading across his mouth, "What kind of man would I be if I didn't assist a damsel in distress?"

The woman smiled broadly, finding his charming and well-spoken accent amusing, but also compelling as not many men behaved and spoke in such a way. With another _thank you _she turned on her heel, making her way to the reception of the huge library, walking slowly in hope that he would say something to her, but he didn't. He was sure he would see her again, and even if he didn't, he could ask the librarian about her casually, saying that he saw her with a certain book that grasped his interest. She was _perfect. _So _innocent. _He lifted his head, and placed his own book back on the shelf, losing complete interest with the novel now.

**X**

The wooden box was against the wall in the bedroom, on top of it was scissors, ribbon, and a roll of fabric was lazily leaned against it. The room was silent. Inside the enclosed square space Jade stared into the darkness, her plump mouth gaping open, her figure crushed inside the small space that Eddie had decided to put her for safekeeping. He entered the room, wandering in like a lost ghost, a bucket in his hand and a mop in the other, "So messy. So dirty. Clean. Clean again. Can't have filth devouring this household. Nope. Nope. No."

He thought back, to the woman who was here before, trying to think of her name..._Janet? Julia?_ _June?_

His mind failed him, and he put it down to getting older, but still her face was one of few things that he thought of when he tried to sleep. Her death had been nothing special, just another slow, boring, routine that took longer than needed, even her blood took a long time to bleach out of the rug and floor. It was strange, as he would sometimes hear her talk, and he would walk into the basement expecting to see her alone in the dark. She was nothing to him, nothing but a memory, and an unwanted one at that. A vile woman, a lair, a user, a _slut _that didn't deserve him or even her own life at that. He knew, in time, that she would soon fade away into nothing, and he would be able to focus again, but it would take a while, and until then he wandered the house listening for any sign of life. He _hated _being alone. He couldn't stand it. The sound of the house creaking and his memories bubbling up from the corner of his mind.

The voice inside his skull screaming, shouting, sometimes trying to make him do things he wasn't entirely sure on, but was reassured it was the best thing to do. Like with Jade, he _had _to kill her, even if he liked, she wasn't the one he would _love_ for the rest of his life, "Ah, Jade. That was it. Of course. How could I forget?"

_She would have left you. She didn't love you. She said it herself. You're alone. Your own Mother didn't want you, Eddie boy. _

The man stopped cleaning, his head feeling heavy, a cloud of depression ascending over him. He felt anger, rage even, running through his being like he was being electrified. He kicked the bucket to the other side of the room, the water spilling onto the floor and spreading underneath the table and bed. He started to punch the wall, not stopping until his knuckles began to bleed and skin started to split, his action leaving numerous dents and holes in the weak, crumbling wall. He continued his rampage, taking long steps to his dresses, ripping them apart one by one. The fabric ripped easily, the delicate stitching snapped, the mannequin that wore a long flowing gown fell to the floor, an arm falling from its socket as it landed with a gigantic bang against the wood.

He shouted loudly, smashing his hand against the table, wanting to feeling bruising pain as it erupted into his palm. Finally, just as his anger subsided, he grabbed the wooden table, and with much force heaved it off the floor and flung it over. He too, after a moment of heavy breathing, fell to the floor like a stringless puppet and held himself in his arms, shaking like he was cold, mumbling something as he tried to distract himself of how quiet the house was. He _needed _noise, to drown everything out.

To make everything go away.

**X**

**_A/N:_ **_One more chapter after this~_


	7. Chapter Seven

**Kill Your Darlings**

**Chapter Seven**

**X**

"What's your name?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to sound as casual as possible, talking to men she had met only a few times wasn't something she usually did. There was something about him; he had a certain charisma, which was the first thing she was attracted to. And his voice, so coherent and gracious, how he would say sweet endearments and old sayings that she could imagine her own late Grandfather say. And he wasn't bad looking either, such a well built body, a chest like a barrel, and a spirited smile that made her feel contented and comfortable in his company. She just _had _to know his name, and anyway, it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? What if he had a stupid name? She shook the thought from her mind, holding her book tightly, feeling the pages bend slightly due to her intense nervous grip. If anything, she felt like a schoolgirl, and in honestly hadn't really grown out of that phase, she still giggled at the thought of talking to boys and still felt very shy in their presence.

"Eddie," He replied softly. _Eddie._ She smiled, liking the name, wondering if it was a cute nickname for Edward or Edwin. The ink-haired man placed the novel he was holding under his arm, intending to book it out, before looking up at the beaming woman again that was expecting a surname. He complied graciously, "Eddie Gluskin."

"Jenny Moore." She replied quickly, stuttering slightly from how fast she replied. Her face burned and she could feel it turning red, but Eddie, found it quite loveable, and instead repeated her name back smoothly. He brought his hand to his chin, thinking about the name, feeling how it sat in his mouth, then smiled down at the anxious woman who was quite small against his soaring figure. The woman then tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear, returning her attention back to the wonderful collection of books that were neatly placed on the gigantic wooden self, row after row of books looming down on the couple. Eddie personally couldn't care less, instead, he was more intrigued by Jenny, the way she would read and look, the way her mouth would repeat the words of many fiction and fictional authors. Indeed, she was something, something new. He found himself moving closer, "Do you come here often?"

She looked back at him, "Every week. I'm a little obsessed, I'll admit."

"It's good to have a obsession," Eddie nodded his head knowingly, "It keeps you out of trouble."

"Ha," Jenny grinned. She leaned on her hip, rubbing her elbow, a habit Eddie had picked up on and had already decided that was something she did when she was nervous. He had always been quite good at reading body language, especially with woman; they all seemed to have the same. The rubbing of the arm, the twirling of the hair, biting of the lip, fluttering on the eyelashes, he knew them all and knew what they _all _meant. The redhead looked up at him through her long, curly bangs, "I agree. Um, sorry, if I sound forward, but um, are you doing anything later? Would you like to go for a drink or something?"

"I'd _love_ to, darling." Eddie jumped at the opportunity. They both arranged a time and a place, making small talk as they both checked out, before saying goodbye at the door. Eddie watched as Jenny made her way down the street, her hair blowing behind her, her large coat wrapped around her body tightly to keep out the chilly weather. He watched her until she disappeared into the oncoming crowd, and then he continued on his way, clearly nervous and afraid of what was to come. He hadn't felt like this in a long, long time, she was somehow different from the rest, he knew this for _sure_, she had to be the one. He had been looking for so long that he was so sure that the world was just full of ungrateful and disgusting woman, but Eddie knew, that Jenny would be different and understand his feeling.

He _had _to be sure this time, not get ahead of himself, to make sure that she wasn't like _them._ Afterward, everything would be all right. Everything will become a lot easier. He could see them now, married, children, grow old, die together, till death do us part, as they say. Yes, married, happily married, that's what he wanted in life. That was the _only _thing he wanted in life. He wanted a girl, a special girl, one to help with the pain, the grief, to understand him and love him.

Yes, he wanted a girl.

**X**

Walking through his garden gate he took his house key from his pocket, mentally preparing himself for the night to come, finding it that his heart had began to beat faster and faster with each step. He felt like running into the house and locking himself inside forever, never wandering into the outside world again, but he soon calmed himself, thinking that Jenny was just as nervous. He made it to his door, and before he could put his key through the keyhole someone from behind shouted his name. He turned around, seeing that his neighbor, an elderly woman whose name he had forgotten, was standing by the fence straining her eyes to see him. She wore a washed-out, blue dress that hardly covered her swelled and vein-filled ankles, and her thin hair was tied into a plait, a unsuitable style of hair for the old woman was losing so much of it day by day. He didn't really talk to her much, but when he did, it was always about something tedious or dull.

"Eddie, boy, c'mere," She said in raspy voice, "Can't ya smell that? That smell? It's disgusting! I think those foxes have been in the bins again. Then, it could be the sewers. No one of this goddamn street gives a damn, say I'm losing it, but I tell ya, I can smell something! Like rotting meat! And it isn't the first time either. It's always on this side too, like that drugged up junkie next to me is up to something, y'know?" She eyed Eddie for a moment, expecting a comment, but nothing came. "I smell it now! Damn. I swear. They need 'ta do somethin' about it. Good Lord."

The old woman wandered off down her garden, dragging her feet as she complained to herself as talking to Eddie was like talking to a statue. The man remained silent, knowing full well where the smell was coming from, his house. He inhaled, the smell having no effect on him as he had become immune to the scent of death, but agreed with the old woman that something had to be done about it before she did something stupid, like call up the council and have them sort it out. He returned to his doorstep and went inside his house, closing and locking the door behind him. All of a sudden the smell began to intoxicate him, and he could _really _smell it now. It was everywhere. It was all over his house. Without another thought the sudden urge to be sick came like a thunderbolt, and he rushed into the kitchen, and heaved over the sink.

**X**

"Will you walk me home?" Jenny asked, her hand slipping over his, she was much more confident now she had something to drink but still cautious of what she said. She blinked slowly, smiling up at him expectantly. He felt a little uncomfortable with the hand contact, he didn't like not being in control, allowing her to take liberties, but he would forgive her as she hadn't be taught how to act like a loving and respectful partner. She leaned on him, her hair touching his cheek, making his breath quicken from the intimate contact. He gently pushed her away, making it as though he was playing with her, a little game between two people in love.

"Of course," Eddie said automatically, "I can't let a lady walk home alone at this time of night. In fact, why don't we take my car? I've only parked it outside."

"Great. Thank you." She grinned back at him, happy, her face blushed from both the drink and Eddie. "I'll be right back. Just need to go powder my nose."

They both stood, Jenny gesturing she would only be a moment as she made her way to the toilet. Eddie, watching her go, ran a hand through his hair, feeling the sweat begin to fall down the back of his neck. He had done this so many times, so many times, yet it always seemed to feel like the very first time and he would become incredibly twitchy. There weren't many people in the pub, in fact, only a few single people scattered around the place, and the only group of people who were there was too enwrapped in their own conversation to even notice anyone at all. He could do this. Like he had many times before. It was all for the greater _good. _He was going to make her a better person, for herself, for the both of them. For their relationship to continue he needed to know how committed she was, how faithful she was, that she wouldn't give up on their love. But, he knew that it couldn't be rushed.

It was only a matter of time. He saw that Jenny hadn't finished her drink, and when he was certain that nobody could possibly be looking, he poured a dark liquid into her glass. The liquid soon faded into the white wine and the drink became once again clear and sparkling. He waited for her, checking his wristwatch, seeing that soon the pub would close and the landlord would go around all the tables asking for people to finish and leave. He didn't want that. That would ruin _everything._ Soon, Jenny reappeared from the female toilet, smiling and pulling her jacket over her shoulder. Eddie greeted her with a smile, "Darling, your drink, wouldn't want it to go to waste, would you?"

Jenny smiled, giggling, then took the glass and sipped back the remaining wine. "That's enough now."

"As you wish." Eddie grinned, before wrapping an arm around her shoulder, feeling her relax even more and rest against his chest. They walked out of the old pub, passing the nightlife and people, before getting to Eddie's car. He opened the door for his drunken angel, who smiled lazily, and got inside. For a moment he waited, leaning against the car, feeling the fresh night air cool down his face and body. He wanted to savour the moment, make it last as long as possible. Finally, he walked slowly around to the drivers side, opening the door, then heavily sitting in his seat, looking over at Jenny who was now fast asleep on the passenger side. Her pink mouth was open ever so slightly, her red hair messy and body limp and pale. He smiled, leaning forward and smelling her hair, before shutting the door and starting the car. The engine became alive, the vibration and sound of it not awaking his love, not a single peep came from her. _Such a good girl. _"All comfy. Don't worry, you'll be safe with me. Just sit back and relax, darling. Look at us, we're like a married couple."

Satisfied, he fastened his own seat belt, and lifted the hand brake.

And drove.

**X**

**_A/N:_ **_That's all Folk's! For now…_

_Thank you for reading. I'd appreciate some feedback on the story overall~_

_I will be writing more Outlast stories in the future, particularly one about my favorite Doctor._

_Trager is a babe, and everyone in the Outlast fandom knows it. _

_Anyway, that's it! _

_- AGGE_


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